


Crossing Paths

by Kary



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alterning POV's, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-27
Updated: 2013-09-08
Packaged: 2017-12-03 20:17:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 41,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/702210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kary/pseuds/Kary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Rachel broke up with Finn, a new girl arrives to Lima and accidentally enters in Finn's life. She has an interesting backup story. With her, Finn will learn that the world is a really small place. Finn and Rachel are characters of this fic but they're not the main ones.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New in Town

The tire shop was empty, calm, so as Finn took his sit behind the counter of the shop, he let his mind rumble through his memories. It wasn’t been to long since Rachel broke up whit him, so it still felt unreal, like it was just a nightmare. He couldn’t stop blame himself for let her go and push her away so long. He should just marry her and then they would go to New York together. He felt stupid, and it hurts.

He buried his head in his hands to try fighting the tears that threaten with fall from his eyes. His life was sinking. He had failed in everything he wanted and now he had lost Rachel to. This couldn’t be worse, he thought

* * *

She was wandering around, trying to find a place where she could ask for help. Her stupid car has stopped without a reason, and she couldn’t make it start again. Frustrated, she went out of the car and start walking up the street.

 She was arrived to Lima, Ohio just two days ago and she didn’t know where to find a tire shop.

 When she had walked about three or four streets, she saw the signboard that puts “ _Hummel Tires & Lube_” across the street. With a sigh of relief, she headed to the place, hoping there would be someone who could help her with the car.

 The place was nearly empty, except for the guy sitting at the other side of the counter. He seemed distracted; his head on his hands and it was like he didn’t notice that she had entered in the shop. Hesitantly, she approach to the counter and greeted him shyly.

* * *

"Good morning," the shy of a girl voice brought him back to the tire shop.

 Finn lifted his head from his palms and look up at owner of the voice. His eyes found a girl looking down at him. She wasn’t very tall, no more than 5' and 2.99". Her skin was tan. Her reddish brown hair fell in long curls to the middle of her torso. Her lips were curved in a coy smile. But were her eyes what call his attention the most: they were big and brown, with a slight glow.

 He stared at her for a few seconds in bewilderment. It seems like he wasn’t able to look away from those eyes. Then she raised an eyebrow at him, her expression questioningly, and that snap him to the reality again.

 "Good… good morning." Finn stammered at the girl. Then he cleared his throat and then continued to talking. " What can I do for you?"

"My car died a few streets from here." She answered, shyly smiling again and continued to explain the situation with a voice slightly embarrassed. "I don’t know the first about cars, and I swear I filled the tank. I was walking, looking for someone who might help me when I came across this place. Do you think you could do something about it?"

Finn looked at her and gave her a wide, amused smile. She was pretty, and seemed nice. The kind of girl that he would like to know better. But for some reason, he couldn’t think of a girl in that way, at least not now. The only girl she was still thinking of was Rachel.

 He shook his head to clear it and answered:

 "Sure, let’s go see that car."

* * *

 A sound of relief got out of her lips. This guy seemed nice, and he was going to try and help her. He was also kind of cute, she thought.

As they walk back to her car for him to check on it, she studied him a little closer. Tall, brown hair, honey colored eyes, that loopsided grin. He was handsome, she decided. The kind of boy she would fall for if she wasn’t still heartbroken.

When they reach the car, she opened the hood for him to examine the engine. While he inspected the motor, she sat in the driver spot and let her mind wandered. Two years, she thought. It has been two year since her boyfriend broke up with her, and she couldn’t believe that it still hurts. It hurts too much, that after graduating from high school she decided take a sabbatical for rethink what she wanted to do with her life. That was the reason that brought her to Lima: get away from home and be in somewhere else to decide what to do without anyone to put pressure on her shoulders.

Her future was once tied to his boyfriend’s, she would go to the state where he was to be with him and follow her dream of being an actress or a singer at the same time. But go to where he was didn’t make sense anymore, it would only be just too painful and she couldn’t bear it. She wasn’t heard about him in such a long time, and she didn’t know if he has a new girlfriend by now. It hurts her even more think that he has moved on.

The voice of the guy from the tire shop snaps her back to the car and to the reality.

* * *

"Is not too complicated." Finn said. "discharged battery, that's all. We can go back to tire shop and put it to charge. It’ll be ready in a couple of hours though."

Finn couldn’t help but notice, by the way she shook her head like she was trying to focus, that the sound of his voice has pulled her out of a kind of daydream. She smiled at him and nodded slightly.

"Ok," she answered. "I don’t have other option but wait." 

Finn watched as she slip out of the car and lock the doors. When she reached his side, they both started walking back to the shop. 

He offered her a chair in front of the counter. She took her seat while he put the battery to charge. After take care of the battery, he went to the back side of the shop and pull out two bottles of soda form the fridge and the return to sit in front of her across the counter. 

Finn opened one of the bottles and then handed it to her. When he saw her expression of disbelief and her hesitation, he gave her an encouraging smile.

"Thanks." She muttered as she took the bottle from his hand, giving him a polite nod. "How much for the soda?"

"Nothing," he answered, grinning at her. "It’s on the house." 

She nodded again, her cheeks blushing slightly. 

Then it hit him: he doesn’t even knew this girl’s name. Finn felt like an idiot for not have asking before. 

* * *

Coyly, she took a sip from the bottle of soda. She was amazed that this guy was so nice to her when they have met just about 10 minutes ago. He didn’t even know her name, yet he gave her a soda bottle. She was perplexed by his actions. Back home nobody was that nice with a stranger. The sound of him clearing his throat brought her back from his thoughts. 

"I think is the first time I’ve seen you." He asked. "are you new in town?"

"Yes," she answered looking up at him "I just got here two days ago."

"I see." He remained silent for a moment before adding "What’s your name?"

"How rude of me!" She practically shout when realized that she hadn’t introduced herself earlier "where are my manners? I’m Alexa." She said grinning at him and held out her hand for him to shake.

"Nice to meet you Alexa, I’m Finn." He shook her and smiled at her in return. "What brought you to Lima? Did you come here to finish high school?"

"Hmmm… I’m already graduated, actually." She explained, looking downwards. "I’m here taking a sabbatical. I need to think what I want to do whit my life." 

Alexa saw Finn nodding in understanding. He didn’t push the subject any further, so she thought that her pain and nostalgia should be reflected her face a little 

They expend the next two hours making small talk. Then Finn went to look for the battery and they headed back to car. As they walked, she checked her watch. It was two and a half in the afternoon. Her stomach roared and she realized that she was hungry. She looked over at Finn. He didn’t seem have heard her roaring guts and she sigh in relief. 

Once Finn put the battery back in the car and she handed him the money for the service and said goodbye, she turn around and start to walk to the driver seat, but his voice stopped her. 

"Since you're new in town and don't know many places, would you like if I show you some places?" he asked, somewhat nervous

"I would love to." She smiled at him and slip into her car.

Once inside, she handed him a piece of paper with her cell number. Finn grinned at her, and Alexa nodded her goodbye. Then she started the car and drove straight home.


	2. Remembering

That night, in his bedroom at Burt’s house, Finn lay down on his bed wearing his pajamas and stared at the ceiling. He tried so hard to put his mind in blank, but he could do was think about Rachel: her face, her laugh, her amazing voice, her eyes, and her smile. 

All the moments he spent with her flooded his mind: the first time the met in glee rehearsal, her obsessive-controlling manners, her beautiful singing, the jealousy he felt when she was with Jesse St James, singing ‘ _Faithfully’_ with her in the regionals that they lost, losing the duet competition for Sam and Quinn could win, kissing her in the nationals’ stage, the first time they slept together, asking for her to marry him, she singing her ‘yes’, almost getting married before Quinn’s accident, she helping him decided which his future would be, comforting her after she choked her NYADA audition, she being crowned _prom queen_ , winning nationals in Chicago, leaving her on a train to New York when she got in NYADA. 

Finn coursed himself for push her away for so long. Now he had lost her. He still loved her, so much that it physically hurts. But it was too late for regretting it; there was nothing he could do to get her back. 

He just lay there, staring at the ceiling, thinking about her. Without a warning, a tear slide all across his cheek. Then another, and another. Before he knew it, he found himself crying. 

* * *

After a lonely dinner and a calming shower, Alexa sit cross-legged on the edge of her bed. Her new apartment was small and quiet. She normally enjoyed the silence, because she could think and reflect. 

She was trying to think about what to do with her life, where she would be a year from now, but she couldn’t quite concentrate. Her mind continued going to her ex-boyfriend. 

She reached out for the drawer in her bedside table and yanked it open. She fumbled around until she found what she was looking for. She pulled out a picture where her and his ex-boyfriend were in a picnic by a lake, cuddled together and laughing. 

She ran her fingers over his face in the picture, and her mind travelled two or so years ago, back home, the day of that picnic. They were making plans together. He will leave for New York after graduation and she would follow him two years later. He will study musical theater and she will study to become an actress or a singer, and, together, they will live happily ever after. 

She had believed that their love was strong enough and that he would wait for her, but it wasn’t like that. Six weeks after he left, she got a phone call from him, and he told her that he wanted to break up with her. While she stared at the picture and traced her finger over his smiling face, a tear drop landed on the back of her hand. 

* * *

The tears have stopped, but silent sobs kept shaking Finn’s body. He rolled onto his side and stared into nothingness. He had no career, no future, and no girl. He felt like an empty shell. 

His hand moved at its own accord and reached for his cell phone. Finn began to navigate through the pictures of his beloved Rachel. Her beautiful smile, her pretty face. A half smile form in his face as he watched the last he left of her: pictures. 

No. He had something else from Rachel, something besides the pictures. He froze when he realized what it was: her cell number. 

Scrolling through the contacts, Finn found her name and stared at it. Should he call her? Would she pick up the phone if he did? He wasn’t sure. But there still was something he wanted for her to know. 

Instead of calling her, he decided to text her. Two simple words: I’m sorry 

* * *

Alexa wiped the tears off her face. She was sick of crying. She couldn’t believe that two years or so after the break up, thinking about him still make her cry. It was like the wound was still open and bleeding, refusing to heal.

She put the picture back in the drawer and slammed it closed, wanting with all her strength think of something else and not being able to think in nothing more. It frustrated her. 

She lay on the bed on her back, hands on her stomach, taking deep breaths to calm herself down and try to think what she was going to do next. She still wanted to be an actress or a singer, but New York wasn’t an option anymore. No when he was there. 

Alexa was so grateful with her parents for being so compressive and supportive. She knew they wanted for her to go to college as soon as possible, but they didn’t pushed the subject when she said she wasn’t going that year and that she wanted to take a sabbatical. When she said she wanted to go somewhere else to be alone and take her time to think, they let her go; because they knew she was still hurt. They told her that she had to do what she needed to for heal and make up her mind. 

That’s how she ended up in Lima, Ohio. She picked this place because here no one would know her. Nothing and no one would be reminding her of him. She didn’t need other enemies than her brain and her memories. 

* * *

He stared at the phone for a long while after the text was sent. No answer came, and he hadn’t expected it either. 

With a sigh, Finn shifted onto his back again and cover his face with an arm. He took deep, even breaths, trying to relax. He was exhausted. The crying was spent him both physically and mentally, so he just lay there, waiting for the sleep to come. 

To distract himself from his pain, he let his mind started to wander around the day's events. A pair of big brown glowing eyes belonging to a tan face, framed by reddish brown hair came to his thoughts. Suddenly, he sat up straight on the bed. He remembered the piece of paper he had put in the pocket of his pants. It had cell phone number written down.

Finn reached for his pants, which were in a heap, crumpled in the floor, and fumbled through the pockets until he found out the piece of paper. 

Before thinking about what he was doing, he dial the number and press ‘ _call_ ’. 

* * *

Alexa must have dozed off; because the next thing she knew that she was being woken up for the ringtone of her cell phone. She fumbled through the bedside table surface until she reached her phone and answered it sleepily. 

“Hello?” 

“Hi, Alexa.” Finn spoke at the other end of the line. “It’s me, Finn” 

“Finn?” she was confused. 

“Yeah, from the tire shop” he clarified. 

“Oh, yeah! Finn!” she exclaim lightly, knowing who she was talking with but still sleepy.  

“Sorry for calling you so late at night. Did I wake you up?” 

She chuckle slightly. “Something like that, but never mind. What’s up?” 

“I… I was wondering if you… if maybe… would you like take a coffee with me tomorrow?” 

It caught her a little of guard, but really didn’t seemed bad idea. She didn’t know anyone else and had nothing to besides boring herself to death or sadly thinking about her hut feelings or wondering what to do with her life. Finn seemed a nice guy, so she decided that she could use some distraction and know Lima a little bit more with the first nice person she had known these days. Maybe they could become friends, eventually. 

“Sure” she finally said. “I’ll meet you in the tire shop tomorrow.” 

“Great!” Finn exclaimed in the other end of the line. “It’s okay for you at 2 p.m.?” 

“2 p.m. is fine. See you tomorrow, then.” 

“See you tomorrow”. He said and hang up. 

Alexa put his phone back on the bedside table, got under the covers and surrendered to the arms of Morpheus.


	3. Things in New York City

Rachel’s phone blow up when she received the text that night. She was confused at first when she saw it was Finn’s. She stared at the phone a long while, not knowing what to do. What would it said? Wanted he get her back? She wanted for him to fight for her, but at the same time she needed a time on her own.

She slip out of her bed taking the phone from the nightstand and went to sit on the couch. Hesitantly, she opened the text and read the words: I’m sorry

Tears started run down her cheeks and the sobs started to come out of her mouth. She lean against the back of the couch and took her knees to her chest, wrapping one hand around them. Her other hand went to her mouth in a try for stifle her sobs, but that didn’t work. She felt how Kurt slipped out of his bed.

She didn’t turn around while he approached to her. She was trying to take deep breaths to calm herself down. When he sat next to her, she shifted on her spot and lean towards him, resting her head in his best friend’s shoulder. He threw an arm over her shoulders, and for a while neither of them said anything.

Kurt knew that the break up was been difficult for Rachel. She still was in love with Finn, but for now being apart was the best for both of them. That didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt. Many nights he found her in the couch, crying, just like right now. He didn’t need to ask her why she was crying.

“He texted me.” She said, after a couple of minutes, her body shaking slightly from the sobs.

That surprised Kurt. For a moment he was in shock and didn’t know what to say, so he just squeezed her shoulder and held her tightly against him, letting her know, without words, that he was there to support her.

“Just two words.” She continued when Kurt didn’t speak and handed her cell phone to him.

He took the phone from her with her free hand and read the text, wide eyed. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out, so he closed it. Kurt turned his head to see Rachel’s expression. Tears keep running down her face, she had blood-shot eyes and her sobs seemed have no end. 

Kurt left the phone in the coffee table and stroked her cheek softly. She let out a shaky breath and his heart broke for seen his best friend like that. Was in that moment when he pulled Rachel closer to him, wrapped her in his arms and rocked slightly back en forth, hoping that the motion could be soothing enough.

“I miss him, Kurt.” She said, her voice trembling from the crying. “I really… I just want to… I miss him so, so much that it hurts. ” Her tear soaking his shirt.

“I know, Rachel” Kurt said, rubbing her arm up and down as he continued to rocking back and forth. “I know.” He didn’t know what else to say. He knew she was hurt, and missing Finn and he didn’t want to see her crying anymore. But he also knew she needed get all that sadness out of her system, so he let her keep going.

After several minutes, the Rachel’s sobs started to die. She felt like she had no tears left inside her. She stared into the nothingness for a moment, trying to even her breaths. When she felt in control of herself again, she un-wrapped her body from Kurt’s arms and sat up straight, sighing. 

“Feeling any better?” Kurt asked after a moment. Her next words surprised both him and her.

“I want to call him”. She said with an empty look in her eyes.

“What?” Kurt asked, dumbfounded. “What would you even said to him?”

“I don’t know.” Rachel responded truthfully, still staring at the void. “I… I just… I would like to…” she keep silence for a minute, trying to collect her thoughts. Kurt watched her in patient silence, no pressuring her to go on. Finally she said “I just want to hear his voice. Just one last time.”

Kurt considered it for a moment. He could understand her, because he felt the same way about Blaine. He thought about what he would want for her to do or say to him if their places were switched. It was nothing of the other world, something simple: just a phone call. But on the other hand, it could lead her into a fresh set of tear and sobs shaking her body. It wasn’t like she would take a flight to Ohio and beg him to go back with her. If she wanted to do this, he didn’t feel like he could deny her this one little thing. 

His hand reached out towards the table, picked up the phone and handed it to her. She glances between the phone and Kurt’s face, her expression was one of disbelief. Kurt’s lips curved on a reassuring smile, nodding slightly to encouraging her.

She smiled back at him. “Thank you.” She said, taking the phone from his hand.

She took a deep breath. Just one try. No matter what happen, she only was going to dial the number just once, she decided. She look among the contacts in her cell phone for Finn’s number, lock eyes with Kurt to take strength from his supportive gaze, and, sighing, press call.

“The number has no service now. Please try call again later.” Rachel heard the operator said. She hanged up and put the phone back in the coffee table, smiling sadly at Kurt.

“His phone had no service. I guess is some kind of sign.” She said, shrugging her shoulders.

Kurt opened his arms, and she let him hug her for a moment. Then she stood up and started to head to her bed. Kurt’s voice stopped her.

“Are you going to be okay?” his voice tinged with concern.

“I think so.” She shrugged it off. “I just need to rest. I’ll be fine tomorrow morning.” She tried to smile at him, but it was a weak attempt. “Good night, Kurt.”

“Good night, Rachel”. He answered; looking at her while she shuffled toward the curtains that separated her room from his.

When she reached her bed, she crawled under the cover and hugged her knees to her chest, taking deep breaths to try to relax and get some sleep.

Kurt stayed in the couch for a couple of minutes, listening carefully for her in case she started crying again. When all he could hear was only the sound of both of their breathings in the silence of the house, he stood up and headed for his own bed.


	4. Coffee and Karaoke

When the clock marked fifteen minutes before 2 p.m., Finn sat on a chair behind the counter of the tire shop and let his mind wander while he waited for Alexa to come by.

Artie had stopped by that morning and had offered him to co-direct the musical of McKinley High: Grease. Finn refused at first, but with Artie's insistence, he thought it could be fun and that he could feel like a useful person again. It hurt a little though, because the musical would remind him of Rachel a lot. He shook the thought out of his head and will himself to enjoy directing the musical. The audition will be tomorrow.

Finn's thoughts flew back to Alexa. There was something about this girl that made him feel stranger and he didn't understand his demeanor towards her. Why had he called her so suddenly last night? Why was he so anxious about take a coffee with her? He had invited her just to be nice because she was new in town and that was all that this was about, wasn't it? Of course that was all, he kept trying to tell himself, but still there was something making him feel uneasy, something he couldn't quite place.

He looked up to the clock. Only five minutes before 2.

* * *

She had decided to walk to the tire shop to get to know the streets better and enjoy the view. She liked Lima. It was quiet, and most people seemed nice and nodded courteously or smiled friendly at her when she made eye contact.

If things would turn out differently, she would be in New York by now. She would be in classes, maybe in Julliard or in the Actors Studio or some singing academy. But thing didn't turn out differently, so here she was: in Ohio, trying to figure out what to do with her life.

Where should she go to follow her dream of being an actress or a singer? She had been thinking about it for the last two years and she still had no idea of what to do. She was so confused, that she missed all the deadlines for the applications. Her instincts still pulled her towards New York, but she wanted to find other place. A place where she didn't have to be afraid or worried about collide whit him in some place. It was silly, she knew it. But she didn't want to be in the same city than he was, breathing the same air.

Alexa tried to concentrate on what she was doing now, in the present: she was going to meet Finn at the tire shop and go take a cup of coffee with him. It still puzzled her though, the way he had called her last night. He seemed nervous and it was late at night. But she decided not to think about that. Surly he was just being nice to her because she was new in town and she didn't know anyone else; she though.

When she was about to reach the tire shop, she looked down to her watch. She smiled when she saw was just in time.

* * *

At 2 o´clock, Finn watched Alexa make her way through the door of the tire shop and towards the counter where he was. She was wearing a turquoise dress with a ruffled skirt, patterned of purple, orange and yellow, that reached right above her knees. She also wore a blue jean jacket that reached just his middle back and flat boots with chains in the ankle. Her curly hair was loose; her bangs pulled off of her forehead and held back by two hairpins. From her left shoulder hang a green petroleum haversack that seemed to be a handicraft. The last detail that Finn noticed was a thin silver chain with a hanging sol key, small and silver.  _She must like music_ , he thought.

When her eyes met his, her face broke into a smile and she lifted a hand and waved 'hello' for him. Finn gave her a nervous half smile and waved back. When Alexa was near, he stood and walked around the counter to meet her in front of it.

"Hi, Finn." She greeted him, still smiling

His heartbeat started to speed up and he felt like his breath was catching in his throat.

"Hey." He managed to say back. Why this girl made him so damn nervous? He cleared his throat and continued. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, thanks. How are  _you_?"

"I'm good." He said.

For a couple of minutes they stared at each other in an awkward silence. Finn noticed it and spoke up again.

"Shall we go?" He asked, almost shyly

"I think so." She answered; with what he thought was a reassuring smile.

He smiled and gestured for her to follow him out of the shop. He guided her to his truck and held the door open for her. She slid inside, smiling, and he closed the door; then walked around the truck to the driver seat. Once inside, Finn started the truck and began to drive toward the coffee shop.

* * *

The Lima Bean, the coffee shop, was a nice place, Alexa thought. She was sitting there with Finn, drinking coffee, making small talk, and laughing.

"What's your story?" Finn asked her after a while. "What´s the reason that brought you to Lima, Ohio?"

Alexa took a deep breath. "Well, during high school I always wanted to be a singer or and actress. I had planned going to New York with…" she hesitated. Still hurt to talk about him out loud. "With someone… never mind. But something happened almost two years ago, and New York wasn't an option anymore. I got confused, didn't know what to do or where to go. I kept thinking, about it during my junior and senior years, but my mind got blank and I missed all the deadlines for the applications. So I told my parents that I wanted to take a sabbatical and go somewhere else to be alone and clear my mind; they agreed. And that's how I ended up here." She finished with a smile.

"Wow." Was all he could said

"What's your story?" She asked him.

"Well," he began with a long sigh. "My story is much simpler. I graduated here, in Lima. I wanted to go to the Actors Studio in New York. My brother and my girlfriend were going to NYADA, so we all were going to live together." Her heart ached at the mention of NYADA, since it was the place where 'he' was. "But I didn't get in. Instead, I enlisted for the army, but that didn't go well either. So I came back and I'm working with Burt, my stepfather."

"I see." She said staring at her cup of coffee. "So…" she continued after a couple of seconds. "You have a girlfriend?" she asked trying to keep the chitchat.

"I  _had_ a girlfriend" he said, and she could hear the pain in his voice. "She broke up with me. I guess is my fault. But I don't want to talk about it now, please."

"It's okay." She said, because she could relate with his pain. Had been two years and she still didn't wanted to talk about her ex-boyfriend either. "I understand. I don't like talk about my ex-boyfriend either." She smiled at Finn. "Is too painful. And he is the reason for me not to go to New York, because he is there."

For a moment that seemed to long, both of them remained silent, until Finn spoke up.

"So… you wanted to be a singer?" He asked in an obvious attempt to light the mood. "I would love to hear you sing."

"Maybe someday…" She began, but Finn cut her off. He stood and motion for her to also stand.

"Come with me. There's a place I want to take you"

So she stood and followed him out of the coffee shop.

* * *

Finn took her to a Karaoke club that opened during the day to. He wanted to hear her sing. She raised an eyebrow to him in a questioning look.

Finn just laughed. "I want to hear you sing, so I think we could come here." He explained

She let out a sigh. "I don't know Finn…"

"Please." He begged and gave her an encouraging smile. "It'll be fun."

She gave him a resigned look and walked up towards the stage. She told the song's name to the DJ and grabbed the microphone. The music started to play.

_"So, you think you see the truth,_   
_But you don't have a clue_   
_I'm not someone who's here to lose._   
_Hey, I'm something new today,_   
_So stay the hell away_   
_Unless you got something to say."_

_"I can be anything I want!_   
_Give me your reason why I won't._   
_No, I don´t care, don't wanna be typical._   
_You can say everything to me,_   
_I know who I am an you will see,_   
_So stop and stare, I'm not invisible,_   
_Not gonna be typical."_

Finn watched Alexa, dumbfounded, wide-eyed and mouth open. She was really talented, her voice, the way she moved in the stage, her passion while singing, how she got lost in the music. He saw her look his way and smile, somewhat amused, to him. Was the he realized that his expression should be quite comical, so he shut his mouth close and keep on watching.

_"Someone who's lost,_   
_Looking for the answers._   
_Someone who's scared,_   
_I know I can do this!_   
_I know I can do this! Yeah!"_

_"I can be anything I want!_   
_Give me your reason why I won't._   
_No, I don´t care, don't wanna be typical._   
_You can say everything to me,_   
_I know who I am an you will see,_   
_So stop and stare, I'm not invisible,_   
_Not gonna be typical._   
_Oh! Not gonna be typical._   
_Oh, oh! Not gonna be…"_

"That was amazing." He told her when she reached his side after the applauses everyone gave her. "You're amazing. No doubt, you're gonna be a famous singer someday."

"Thanks." She answered, and Finn saw her cheeks turn slightly pink.

"Well… umm…" He began. "I'm helping direct a musical for McKinley High. You should come and watch the show when it debuts."

"A musical, huh?"

"Yes, Grease"

"I love Grease! I'll be there, I promise." She smiled at him.


	5. Deliciously Confused Feelings

Having coffee and then go to the karaoke club with Finn had been amazing. Alexa have been thinking of it all night and all this days so far. Have been three days and she still felt like floating. Being in that stage had made her feel alive again. She just couldn't stop smiling when she remembered singing and the look on Finn's face: wide-eyed and open-mouthed, completely dumbstruck. Was she really that good to cause that reaction in him while she sang?

Being around Finn made her want to feel again, let her passion in the stage overflow. It made her mind filled with music. She had been hanging out with Finn these days after the auditions for Grease, but only been once in that karaoke club, but she found herself wishing go back to that place and sing. She couldn't think in anything else. He made her want to sing.

The thought startled Alexa. She sat up straight on the couch, her smile fading as the confusion took over.  _Finn made her want to sing_  she realized. And keep singing, never stopping. Sing every song she knew. Sing in the shower, in her car, while shopping. Everywhere. Every time. She hadn't felt that way in such a long time; almost two years. The only person who had made her feel that way before was…

She realized something else too: when she was with Finn or thinking about him, she felt fine. She didn't feel like crying or sad anymore. She didn't feel heartbroken. And since she met Finn, she definitely didn't think much about her ex. What was about this boy that was making her feel that way? She barely knew him, but she felt undeniably drawn towards him. It was so confusing. She found herself longing to see him again, feeling butterflies inside at the thought of him smiling (that half smile stretching towards his right cheek) at her, which was even more unnerving. Her head was spinning fast.

It was almost 5 pm when her cell phone rang. She got a text from Finn. She couldn't help but smile when she read it: ' _Meet me at the karaoke club?_ '

Yes, her feelings towards him were unnerving and confusing. But she liked it, so decided just go with the flow. She was still grinning when she stood, reached out for her car keys and texted him back: ' _I´m on my way_ '.

* * *

Finn found an empty table in the club. It was still early, but there already were a small crowd in the karaoke place. He sat down and waited nervously for Alexa to come. He had asked for a coke to drink while waiting, but found himself fidgeting with the bottle in his hands and darting looks at the door. She had texted him that she will come, so she should appear at any minute.

The auditions for Grease had been well. The guys were so motivated and some of them had so much talent, that Finn couldn't be more satisfied. He still felt nervous directing, but he also had a good feeling about it all.

But that day something else had happened and he needed to talk to someone: Mr. Schuester would soon leave for Washington and had asked Finn to direct the Glee club during his absence. Mr. Schuester would be back after sectionals. It was a great responsibility, he knew that, but he also felt capable of doing it. He loved that club, which had been so important in his life, that he would do whatever it took to make those guys (his friends) win the sectionals and make Mr. Schuester proud.

That was the reason why he had texted Alexa. At least that was what he kept telling to himself: that he had texted her because he needed talk to someone who could get excited about this opportunity. She was nice and smiley. And he asked her to come to the karaoke club because he knew she liked the place and maybe he could get her to sing for him in some kind of celebration.

But he knew, deep down inside, that there were more than that. He liked being around her. When Alexa was around him, he felt his pain lessen and his worries disappear. His heart didn't felt like a black hole when she was nearby. He smiled and even laughed whenever he was with her or thinking about her. He actually felt like singing again, all because of her. And, most of all, he hadn't been thinking of Rachel too much since he had met Alexa. She was so cheerful, almost shiny, that he felt inexplicably attracted by her, like she was the sun.

Finn shook his head. There was an obvious spark between them, but he knew nothing was going to happen between them. There were strong reasons. First of all: Rachel had just broken up with him, he still couldn't get her over and flirting around with other girl so soon didn't feel quite right. Also was the fact that she obviously hadn't gotten over her ex-boyfriend either; he could tell for the sorrow in her eyes every time she mentioned him, and she didn't even had said his name. And finally but not less important: they barely knew each other. Yes, they had been hanging out and about every afternoon after the auditions, but they still were practically strangers.

Alexa's entrance in the club pulled him out of his thoughts. Seeing her, all his musings from moments earlier were gone, evaporated like mist. He felt his mouth curve in an automatic smile when she locked eyed with him and walked his direction. Her bright eyes and warm, wide smile made something stir inside of him, and in that moment he decided stop overthinking the whole situation. He would let things happen in the way they have to.

He greeted Alexa warmly when she sat in the chair across from him.

* * *

"You'll be couching a Glee club?!" she nearly shouted the question; half-amazed, half in disbelief. "That´s wonderful, Finn. Congratulations. I'm really glad for you." She smiled at him and took a sip of her soda. And she really was glad.

"Yeah. Is only temporary, but a big opportunity. And a huge responsibility. I have to admit that I'm a little nervous." He said with a sheepish smile. She found his nervousness endearing.

"Don't be. You'll do it great. Besides, those guys are your friends, and I'm sure they would be understanding and supportive." She assured him. He looked down at the table and nodded in agreement.

He was quiet for a long moment, so Alexa broke the silence

"How should we celebrate this?"

Finn looked up at her and she could see the light blush on his cheeks, which caused the color crept up at her own face.

"I was thinking…" he began, a coy look in his face that made the butterflies start to flutter in her stomach. "I would love to hear you sing. That is, of course if want to."

Surprise crossed her features for a moment. The she let out a shyly, nervous laugh, feeling her cheeks redden even more. She looked down to the bottle in her hand and think about it for a moment. Then she took a deep breath before responding.

"I'll do it." She said, looking back up to meet his gaze. His eyes lit up when she agreed, and open his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. "But you have to do it with me or there's no deal." She added with a smirk.

He looked at her stunned, his mouth slightly ajar and his eyes wide, like she had just asked him to walk on burning ember with bare feet. Then he blinked a couple time before nodding his agreement. He held out a hand and she shook it while he said "Deal."

They both stood and headed for the stage. Finn helped Alexa up, and while he picked up the microphones, she went over to see the playlist and pick a song. She felt herself smile and blush a little when saw the name of one of the most recent songs of Taylor Swift in the list, a song that seemed to express her feelings toward the last couple of days, since she had met Finn. She pressed 'play' and turned around and took the microphone Finn was holding out for her. She locked her eyes on his as the music began to play and she started to sing.

_All I knew is the morning when I woke_  
 _Is I know something now,_  
 _Know something now I didn't before._  
 _And all I've seen since eighteen hours ago_  
 _Is green eyes and freckles and your smile_  
 _In the back of my mind making me feel right_

As the lyric of the song left her lips, she knew that she meant each and every word, that the song was saying exactly how she was feeling at that moment.

_I just want to know you better know you better_  
 _Know you better now_  
 _I just want to know you better know you better_  
 _Know you better now_

In that moment she saw Finn lifting his microphone and joining her to sing, his gaze still fixed in hers. His eyes were shining with something intense, some kind of emotion that she couldn't quite place.

_I just want to know you better know you better_  
 _Know you better now_  
 _I just want to know you know you know you._

_'Cause all I know is we said "hello"_  
 _And your eyes looked like coming home_  
 _All I know it's simple name, everything has changed._  
 _All I know is we held the door_  
 _You'll be mine and I'll be yours_  
 _All I know since yesterday is everything has changed._

She lowered her microphone to let him sing the male solo of the song. His voice was soft and his expression serious, as if every note and syllable was what he was feeling in that moment.

_And all my walls stood tall painted blue_  
 _I'll take them down_  
 _Take them down and open up the door for you._

Then was her turn again. She lifted her microphone with a wide smile and resumed her singing.

_And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies_  
 _The beautiful kind, making up for lost time,_  
 _Taking flight, making me feel like._

He joined her again. Now he was smiling too and looking at her with tenderness

_I just want to know you better know you better_  
 _Know you better now_  
 _I just want to know you better know you better_  
 _Know you better now_  
 _I just want to know you better know you better_  
 _Know you better now_  
 _I just want to know you know you know you_

_'Cause all I know is we said "hello"_  
 _And your eyes look like coming home_  
 _All I know it's simple name, everything has changed_  
 _All I know is we held the door_  
 _You'll be mine and I'll be yours_  
 _All I know since yesterday is everything has changed_

_Come back and tell me why_  
 _I'm feeling like I've missed you all this time, oh, oh, oh_  
 _And meet me there tonight_  
 _And let me know that it's not all in my mind_

_I just want to know you better know you better_  
 _Know you better now_  
 _I just want to know you know you know you_  
 _'Cause all I know is we said "hello"_  
 _And your eyes look like coming home_  
 _All I know it's simple name, everything has changed_  
 _All I know is we held the door_  
 _You'll be mine and I'll be yours_  
 _All I know since yesterday is everything has changed_

* * *

As the last word of the song echoed in the club, Finn and Alexa were trying to catch their breath. He knew the place was crowded, but suddenly the place seemed empty to him. The only person that filled her senses was the girl in front of him. He didn't saw the people standing nor heard the applauses, only could see Alexa. Her flushed cheeks, her shoulder moving up and down while she tried to even her breaths, her eyes transfixed on his own.

Before he knew what he was doing, before he could stop himself, he leaned forward and pressed his lips on hers.


	6. Starting to feel "Not Broken"

Alexa froze for a second and just stood there, wide-eyed and with her arm hanging limp at the sides of her body, without really understand what was happening. Then the whole situation sank in and registered in her brain: Finn was kissing her. His lips were soft and warm; the kiss, sweet and almost shy, just a soft brush of his lips on hers.

After that first second of shock, she let the world around her disappear. She let the microphone slip from her hand, closed her eyes and began to kiss him back. In that moment he started to pull away, but she wasn't ready to let go. Her hands grabbed his shirt tightly, rooting him in place as she leaned forward to close the distance between their lips again. She had imagined this couple of times in the past few days, but actually do it was a lot better than in her head. She felt one of his hands cupping her face while the other rested on her waist. She let go one of her hands from his shirt and moved it to caress his neck. This kiss was more lingering and intense, but still surprisingly sweet.

When they inevitably broke apart for air, she slowly opened her eyes and their gazes met for one moment. The look on Finn's eyes was almost dreamy, and Alexa was sure that the look in hers was exactly the same. Her lips curved in a sheepish smile and he respond with one on his own.

Was in that moment that the clapping and whistles of the crowd reminded them both where they were. She turned her head to face the public, giggling and feeling her cheeks redden in slight embarrassment, but couldn't bring herself to stop smiling.

How long were they kissing, she didn't know, but it had felt amazing.

* * *

After a moment of standing awkwardly there for a couple of minutes while the crowd cheered them up, Finn finally help her get off the stage and they walked back to their table.

As they moved among the other tables and the people, Finn glanced sideways at Alexa. Her cheeks were blush and her eyes were trained on the floor as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. He let out a small, nervous chuckle and she look up at him, raising an eyebrow questioningly. He just shook his head and continued to walking, unable of take the grin off of his face.

"Well," Alexa says when they reach the table and sit, "that was…  _interesting._ " She said it with a nervous giggle and the looked everywhere but Finn.

He felt a pang of guilt and stared at the table. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have -." He began but she cut him off.

"Don't be sorry. Is not like I didn't like it." He looked up at her and found her smiling tenderly at him. He smiled back. He was liked the kiss too. "I kissed you back, remember?" she lowered her gaze and her blush turned slightly pinker.

Finn reached out for his bottle of soda and took a sip, his eyes never living Alexa´s face. She still won't look at him. She was fidgeting with a strand of her hair. She looked so cute.

They both were silent during a while. Finn´s mind took him to the moment of the kiss. The moment had been perfect: the song telling exactly how he felt; the look on her face as she sang, like if she meant every single word; seeing her try to even her breaths; the clouded look in her eyes that conveyed something that he couldn't quite place…  _desire?_  Maybe. It didn't matter. What mattered was that he did it and it felt good. Was almost like in the nationals in New York, with…

He shook his head lightly and pushed the thought out of his mind. It wasn't fair to compare Alexa with Rachel. Rachel had broken his heart, shattering it into a million pieces; Alexa, despite the short time, was putting it back together again.

"So, what will happen now?" Alexa's voice brought him back to the club. She must have seen the conflict in his eyes, because she had spoken in a soft but cautious tone, like she was afraid of he might say or that him regretting kissing her. Her eyes filled with concern and a little flash of something…  _pain?_

"Honestly, I don't know." He answered truthfully.

* * *

Alexa's stomach stirred uncomfortably. She felt a fear so great that she couldn't understand. What if that kiss had costed her the only friend she had in Ohio? She felt the sting of tears in her eyes, but she willed them not to fall. He not only was his only friend in Lima. He also was the reason for her to feel not broken anymore, her reason for keeping herself in one piece. And her reason for want to sing again. She was so scared of losing him that she couldn't speak, so she just lowered her eyes and stared at the table.

She knew her fear wasn't rational. She shouldn't be so attached to him in such a short amount of time, but she was.

"The only thing I know," Finn began, so she lifted her head to meet his stare, "is that I want to be around you. I don´t know what that mean, though, but when I hang out with you is the only time a get to feel alive again."

Waves of relief washed over Alexa. Her face broke into a wide smile. She reached over the table for his hand and gave him a light squeeze while her eyes tried to offer a look of understanding.

"I want to be around you too, Finn." She squeezed again and he grinned at her, that lopsided that she liked so much.

"So, what is this, us?" he asked.

Alexa thought about it for a moment. He was just getting out of a relationship but, how long had it been? She had no idea. She had been single around two years now, but she had just begun to piece her heart together these days, after she met him. They barely knew each other, not enough for a serious relationship. They had to work on that.

"No labels." She said. "At least not yet. I guess we are to persons hanging out and getting to know each other. I think we don't need to rush this. Let give this thing a little time and then see what happens."

* * *

Finn smiled wider at her response. He completely understood why she was saying this. He knew she was conscious of his recently break and that it was too soon for a formal relationship. She was smart, considered and selfless, he realized. And she wasn't hurry. They would give this time and found out more about one another.

"I like that." Was Finn's answer.

She let go of his hand and grab her soda. "To no rush thing up." She grinned at him, holding the bottle of coke in the air and towards him, and he let out a small chuckle.

"To no rush things up." He said, lifting his bottle from the table and clanging it slightly against hers, wide smile on his face.

After their little toast they keep doing small talk for a while. They talk about their favorite colors and food, but the conversation was slowly steering towards the topic of music. The shared with the other their favorites styles, albums, singers and bands. They were laughing happily when Finn had a sudden idea.

"You should come to the Glee club with me someday." He said. "You could get to know my friends, and I'm sure they're going to like you."

He could see the conflict in her eyes.  _She is shy_ , he thought. He could see her nervousness in the far-off look in her gaze and the way her hand played with the sol key in her necklace. As far as Finn knew, he was the only person she had known since arriving Lima. Maybe she was afraid that she would feel out of place. He reached for her free hand across the table and gave her a reassuring squeeze. When her eyes locked on his face, he gave her an encouraging smile.

"I guess I could pass by one of these days." She answered with a timid smile.


	7. The New Directions

That Friday, Alexa parked her car in the parking lot of McKinley High. She descended, shut the door closed and leaned against the hood in front of the car. Her eyes wandered nervously, searching for Finn. They had accorded to meet in that place at 3 p.m. for her to meet the Glee club Finn was going to couch after the musical.

She glanced at her watch. It was a couple of minutes until 3. She put her earphones on and press play in her iPod, hoping the music would relax her mind enough before walking into the auditorium to watch the rehearsal of Grease. She had always been shy; it was hard for her open up to others. Even when she was with her ex. After the break up, she became more reserved; her shyness became sharper. She really hadn't many friends back home, which was the reason for her to leave so easily. And now she was about to meet an entire room of strangers and was totally freaking out.

Alexa bit her bottom lip while the toe of her shoe tapped jittery on the ground. What if they didn't like her? What if some of them glared at her in annoyance? What if they ignored her? What if they asked her to leave because she was interrupting their rehearsal?

She shook her head and tried to push away those thoughts. They were Finn's friends. Surly they will be nice to her.

She was so lost in her thoughts and trying to relax (plus, she was distracted by the music), that she didn't notice someone approaching her from behind until two hands grabbed her waist, startling her and making her jump.

* * *

Finn saw her leaning against the hood of her car, her back towards him. He called out for her, but she didn't turn around. Then he noticed her head moving slightly, like she was following some kind of rhythm and it dawned on him: she was listening music. The reason she didn't turned when he called her name was that she hadn't heard him, because she had her earphones on.

A mischievous smile spread on his face when the idea came to him. Tiptoeing, he made his way to where she was. She seemed to notice his presence, even though he was standing a few inches behind her. The smirk on his face widened. He lifted his hands and grabbed her waist, squeezing lightly.

Alexa startled and jumped away from his touch, letting out a half-scream, half-gasp. He couldn't help but chuckle at her expression when she turned around. She was panting heavily trying to catch her breath, wide-eyed, a hand on her chest, over the spot where her hearts was. When she found him standing there and laughing at her, the expression in her face went from surprise to annoyance.

"What the hell, Finn!" She nearly shouted at him, which made him laugh harder. "You almost killed me from a heart attack!"

"I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention." He told her, trying to regain his composure, but still giggling a little. "I called your name and you didn't hear me. You looked so distracted that I couldn't help but doing it. Please, don't be mad."

He smiled and bated his eyes at her in a very innocent gesture. Then saw her let out a resigned sigh, and he knew she was going to forgive him.

"Shall we go inside?" he asked offering his arm and grinning at her. "The guys must be there already."

She nodded and looped her arm on the crook of his elbow. Then he led them to the auditorium.

* * *

Alexa's heart rate started to pick up and she began to panicking when they crossed the auditorium's doors. She leaned a little bit into Finn and he stopped. She lifted her head to look at him and saw a concerned look in his eyes when they looked on hers. She realized that she must look like a frightened deer.

Finn cupped her face in his hands and gave her a reassuring smile. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead on hers. She closed her eyes trying to calm herself down by focusing in nothing more than the feel of his skin against her own.

"Don´t be afraid." He said softly. Her eyes fluttered open and the gleam in his gaze relaxed her. "I swear it, they going to like you."

She just nodded. He pulled away and planted a light kiss in her temple. Then he pulled away completely and offered his arm again, an encouragingly smile on his lips.

They walked together to the stage. Once they were there, Finn call for everyone to come and gather on a circle.  _This is it_ , she thought,  _I can´t escape now_. She felt so nervous that she could throw up.

Everyone coming close to her and Finn glanced at her curiously. Her eyes wandered through the unfamiliar faces and her anxiety grew even more. Her free hand went to her necklace. Her fingers closed tightly around the sol key and she swallowed hard, telling herself that everything would be okay. She took deep breaths and cling to Finn's arm for dear life.

When everybody was reunited, Finn spoke up.

* * *

"Hi everybody." Finn greeted his friends. "Today I brought a friend I wanted you to meet. She is Alexa. She is new in town, arrived just last week and she's really cool. She graduated from high school last year, just like me."

Finn observed how each of his friends smiled at her and say a few words to make her feel welcome. Her grip on his arm loosened some and she started to smile back. It was just a sheepish grin, but a smile nonetheless. He thought she looked cute when she was being shy and couldn't help his own wide grin.

"So, Alexa, what brought to Lima?" Mr. Schuester asked.

"I'm taking a sabbatical." She answered, blushing a little. "Next year I want to go to a singing or acting academy."

"Can you even sing?" Kitty inquired arching an eyebrow.

Finn felt Alexa cringe beside him and glared at Kitty.

"Actually, Kitty," He retorted in an annoyed tone, "Alexa is pretty awesome." He turned to the rest of his friends. "Would you guys like to see?"

Everyone expressed his agreement and encouraged her to sing. Finn looked down at her and offered a soft, reassuring smile.

"Want to show us?" He asked. She nodded.

* * *

While everybody else left the stage, she went to the musicians and told them the name of one of her favorite songs of Mandy Moore. She positioned back in the center of the stage and waited for the music began.

_Ooh yeah, yeah, yeah!_   
_Ooh!_   
_You know everything that I'm afraid of_   
_You do everything I wish I did_   
_Everybody wants you everybody loves you_   
_I know I should tell you how I feel_   
_I wish everyone would disappear_   
_Every time you call me_   
_I'm too scared to be me_   
_And I'm too shy to say._

The music started to run through her body, her shyness moving aside to let the rhythm take her over. She felt light, and began to lose herself in the song and actually dance in the stage.

_Ooh I got a crush on you_   
_I hope you feel the way that I do_   
_I get a rush_   
_When I'm with you_   
_Ooh I got a crush on you_   
_A crush on you_

_At first, everyone lo_ oked at her in awe, but then they stared to cheer her on, to clap their hand and whistle to encourage her. It felt really good being in there, singing and dancing and receiving the support of the audience. It felted right, like she was born to be there, to do that.

_Ooh I wish I could tell somebody_   
_But there's no one to talk to nobody knows_   
_I got a crush on you_   
_A crush on you (I got a crush)_

  
_Hey, hey yeah hey yeah hey!_   
_You say everything that no one says_   
_I feel everything that you're afraid to feel_   
_I will always want you_   
_I will always love you_

_I got a crush on you_   
_I hope you feel the way that I do_   
_I get a rush_   
_When I'm with you_   
_Ooh I got a crush on you_   
_A crush on you_   
_I got a crush_   
_I got a crush on you_   
_(I got a crush)_   
_(I got a crush)_   
_Crush baby_   
_I got a crush on you_   
_I got a crush on you._

As the last notes of the song died, she noticed that Finn and all his friends were standing and giving her a row of applauses. She smiled widely. Finn was right: she had nothing to be afraid of with these guys.

Afterward, she took a seat in the public, right next to Finn, and enjoyed the rehearsal of the musical that would have its debut tomorrow. He covered her hand with his and squeezed lightly. She looked up at him and saw he was smiling and gazing tenderly at her. She smiled back and then turned her attention back to the stage and the actor. She rested her head in his shoulder and felt his head pressing on top of hers. They watched the rest of the show like this.

Before they left, all of the guys made her promise that she would come tomorrow to see the actual play. She gladly agreed.

Once in the parking lot, when she was opening the driver door of her car, Finn spoke.

"Wasn't that bad, was it?"

She shook her head, grinning. "No, it wasn't bad at all. Thanks."

"Anytime." He answered smiling. That lopsided smile that she liked so much.

Alexa stood on her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the lips before climbing to the driver sit and close the door. She started the engine and looked up at him. He had a coy, goofy grin on his face when their gazed met. She giggled and drove the car out the parking lot and towards home.


	8. Going or not Going?

Rachel sat at the kitchen table and watched as Kurt cooked dinner. Since the incident where she almost burned the apartment, Kurt wouldn't allow her to make their meals that much. They both would chatter cheerfully about their day.

Suddenly, Kurt's face turned serious and Rachel knew that he wanted to talk about something that she probably would prefer not to hear. They knew each other to well: he would start to talk around the issue until he reached the principal point.

She sighed. "Just say it, Kurt." She knew he would do it any way. "Whatever it is, just say it so we can get it over with."

Kurt looked up at her, surprised (though he shouldn't be) that she could see right through him. He grinned and shook his head while sighing.

"Are we going to Ohio tomorrow? You know, to see Grease?" he had been wanting to go, but didn't want to do it without her. He was too nervous about run into Blaine.

Honestly, she wanted to go too. She loved the musical and those guys were her friends. She really wanted to support them but she knew Finn was helping in the direction, and go to watch the play would mean she may have to see him and she didn't feel ready for it yet. It was like a war inside of her: Going or not?

She looked down at the table. "I don't think that's a good idea, Kurt. I have to prepare for my audition. Plus, I don't want to run into Finn and I really think you don't want to run into Blaine either."

"But I need to close the  _Blaine chapter_  in my life. Plus, those guys are our friends. Tina texted me that they really want for us to go. Are we really letting them down like this?"

A punch in the gut. That's how she felt Kurt's words. He was right about that, but she was right too. They found themselves in a crossroad. What was the right path to follow? They felt silent for a long while, and when Rachel opened her mouth to speak again, someone knocked the door. Kurt was busy with the meal, so she stood and went to see who it was.

She opened the door and gasped, because she found herself facing a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. The hands grasping the bouquet lower it a little and now she was facing a handsome and smiling Brody. She smiled back at him, widening the door for him to come in. He offered her the flowers and she took them from his hands.

"Thanks. They're beautiful." She said to him, sniffing the bouquet. "And you arrived just in time. Kurt was finishing of cooking dinner. Wanna stay and eat with us?"

"I would love to." He said with a smile.

They stared at each other, grinning in silence for quite a while until the sound of Kurt clearing his throat snapped them out of their bubble. Brody took a seat at the table and made small talk with Kurt. Rachel put the flower in a vase with water before joining them. The three of them chatted animatedly about NYADA and and Rachel's audition for de director Ivan van Hoven. They were laughing and eating pleasantly when the theme of their weekend plans came to the table.

"Well, Rachel and I were debating whether or not to go see Grease tomorrow." Kurt told Brody. "But we haven't decided yet."

"Wow! Grease." Brody retorted. "If I were you, guys, I won't doubt it. I'd go to watch that play in a heartbeat, without a second thought."

"The thing is," Rachel began, "that the play is in Lima, in or former High school, and Finn and Kurt's ex, Blaine, are involved in it, and at least I don't want to run across my ex-boyfriend just yet."

Brody seemed to mull over it a little before responding.

"I thing you, guys, should go. Both of you. It would be a way of close those chapters of your lives and move on."

Rachel was speechless. She thought about this. He was right: she needed close that chapter definitely. They would more likely meeting in Ohio if she went back for the holidays. She wanted to stop crying in the middle of the night, longing for him, wanting to call him. She needed to get over it and move one, and the sooner, the better. Kurt seemed been thinking the same think. The three of them finished their meal in silence.

Afterward, Rachel walked Brody to the train station for him to go back to de NYADA's dorms. Halfway there, she reached out and grabbed his forearm, tugging lightly on it and pulling him to a stop. He turned towards her and when he saw her worried expression, he responded with one of concern of his own.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Her gaze met his but she didn't say anything. He frowned at her. "It seems like something is bothering you. What's wrong?"

Her brow furrowed like she was thinking of how to say something she didn't know how to put in words.

"Would you do me a favor?" She asked.

"Of course." He said firmly and moved closer to her. Cupping her face in both of his hands and locking eyes with her, he continued. "I would do anything you ask me for. Just say it. Tell me what you want and I'll do it for you, even if you want for me to give you the moon." He said to her heartily.

She felt herself relax a bit, though his words were a little overwhelming. She didn't want for him to give her the moon. Her request was much simpler than that. She grinned shyly at him before speak.

"Would you go to Ohio tomorrow and to the play with me?" She asked timidly. "I mean… with Kurt and me."

He stared at her in surprise. "So, are you going?"

"Yes." She answered. "I think you're right. About closing chapters and moving on. Is going to be hard for both Kurt and me though. I'd really appreciate if come along and support me through it all."

Sighing, he leaned forward and pressed his forehead on hers. She closed her eyed, a little nervous for having him this close, but it was a nice sensation too, like butterflies in her stomach. She reveled in the feel of his thumbs caressing her blushed cheeks, and even with her eyelids closed she could feel him staring at her.

When he didn't respond in quite a while, she opened her eyes and saw his, charged with emotions she could quite place. And she didn't had time to analyze them because suddenly his lips were on hers, moving softly, inviting her to respond. And she did. She kissed him back and let herself get lost in the feel of his mouth against hers. After a moment, he pulled back, panting for air.

"Should I take that as a yes?" She asked, breathing as heavy as he was.

"Yes." He said and pressed his lips briefly on hers once more. "I'll go with you."

She grinned and lifted her hand to his chin, pulling him towards her for another kiss. Eventually, they break apart and she walked him to the train station, hand in hand, talking about the schedule for the next day: they would meet in the airport at 10 a.m. to take a flight to Ohio. The kissed one more time and then he boarded the train.

Rachel walked back home on a haze, unable to take the smile out of her face. When she entered the apartment, she found herself blushing under the knowing look and eyebrow raised on Kurt's face. She just shook her head at him. He didn't need to ask her; he knew.

"So…" he began, and, by the change in his expression, she knew he wasn't asking about Brody.

"So," she responded, "prepare your bag. We are going to go to Ohio."


	9. A play full of surprises

Alexa met Finn in the parking lot and he gave her a tour around the McKinley. Yesterday, he had only showed the auditorium to her. She looped her arm in his and let him led her through the hallways of the high school: the gym, the cafeteria, the teacher's lunch, the school yard, the different classrooms and last but not least, the choir room. As they walked, Alexa rested her head in Finn's shoulder.

After the tour, Finn took her to the backstage for her to see the final preparation pre-show. The moment the spotted her clinging to Finn's arm, one by one came to say 'hello' to her. Some of them told her that they were really glad she was there, thanks for coming or things like that. She felt very grateful that they had welcomed her and couldn't stop smiling at them as they came by. When they were left alone a couple of minutes before the show, she felt Finn's head resting on top of hers and closed her eyes for a moment, reveling in the feel of him.

"I should probably go." She said after a minute. Finn lifted his head and she turned to face him. "I need to find a good place before the place gets too crowded. I want to have the best view of the stage." She smiled at him.

He grinned back. "You're probably right. See you after the show?"

"Of course." Her smile widened.

She freed her arm from his and turned to leave, but in that moment, an idea came to her mind. Facing Finn again, she stood in her tiptoes and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"I know you're not actually performing but I wanted to say this anyway: 'Break a leg"

He let out a small chuckle. "Thanks." He leaned forward and kissed her again, a lingering one.

She giggled when they break apart and leave to find a seat.

* * *

Finn stared Alexa until she was out of view, smiling happily and wide, a dreamy look on his face. When he turned around, his expression changed to one of surprise: Kurt and Rachel were backstage, talking to Blaine. Rachel was holding someone's hand, but from where he stood, he could not see who it was.

His body started to move and before he knew it, he was standing next to Blaine, in front of Kurt and Rachel. He looked at the person beside Rachel and realized that was Brody. Ate first, he felt shock, hurt, jealousy and a little of betrayal, but then he remembered that they had broken up. She could be with whoever she wanted to. Plus, he himself had brought Alexa tonight. He shouldn't feel any of those things. So he just attempted to put on a good face and spoke.

"Hey guys." He greeted with an awkward smile. "Glad you came to see the play."

"We wouldn't miss it for anything in the world." Rachel answered. Finn thought that he saw her tighten her grip on Brody's hand. Had she saw him with Alexa a moment before? Looking in her eyes he discarded the idea. She didn't seem mad, hurt, confused or angry at him, just uncomfortable having to see him.

There was an uncomfortable silence. They all looking each other awkwardly, until Brody spoke up.

"We should go to take our seats. The show is about to start". He said looking at Rachel.

Rachel looked up at him and nodded. They both started to move and Kurt followed them. Finn saw them walk away and let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. He looked at Blaine and saw his heartbroken expression. It must have been really hard for him to see Kurt.

He patted his friend's shoulder. "Show time, buddy." Finn said to him.

Blain nodded and went to his position. Finn could see him struggling for regain his calm and fighting for not shed his tears.

* * *

_The play is magnificent_ , Rachel thought. Her friends were making an excellent job, all the performances were great.

The part of Blaine was a little difficult to watch for Kurt, so she held his hand tightly on hers during the teen angel scene.  _Greased Lightning_  was perfect. Santana was an amazing Rizzo. The choices of Sandy and Danny were doing a good job.

Rachel was really enjoying the play. Brody holding her hand the entire time. The glanced at each other every now and then and Rachel smiled shyly, blushed and turned her attention back to the stage. Everything was fine.

And then  _that_ song began to play. She was watching the girl named Marley and the boy named Ryder sing ' _You're the one that I want'_  when suddenly she didn't see them anymore. She was seeing herself singing in the stage. Singing with Finn. Her heart skipped a beat when her mind took her to the day she had met Finn: they were singing that song in glee rehearsal.

She was so deep in thought that she didn´t realize the public was standing and clapping until she felt Brody let go of her hand. She snapped back to the present and looked around. At both of her sides, Brody and Kurt were standing and applauding. Brody looked down at her and saw the expression of confusion on her face. He leaned down and whisper into her ear.

"Are you okay, Rachel?"

"Yeah." She answered with a weak smile. "I gotta to go to the ladies room. I'll be back in a minute." And with that she stood and headed for the restroom, where she looked at herself in the mirror and took deep breaths trying to calm herself down. She drank a little bit of water and exited the ladies room just to find herself face to face with Finn.

"Did you like it? The play?" He asked her.

"Yeah." She said awkwardly. She swallowed thickly before continue. "I really liked it. I have a couple of notes but they're small.

He grinned coyly at her and she looked at anywhere but his face. Where were Kurt and Brody now?

* * *

_The play was really great_ , Alexa thought while she clapped. Finn and his friends had done a wonderful job, they were really talented. She couldn't stop smiling. When the curtain closed, she headed for the backstage. Everyone was there, laughing and hugging and congratulating to one another. She approached them and told them how awesome she thought they were during the show. They all hugged her.

"Have you guys seen Finn?" She asked after some minutes of small talk. "I told him I will see him after the show."

"I think he went to the restroom a couple of minutes ago." The guy named Artie told her. "I think he may be in the hallway talking with somebody that's congratulating him for the play."

"Thanks Artie." She smiled at him. "I'll go look for him."

She exited the auditorium and headed for the hallway that led to the restroom. Finn should be somewhere between there and the auditorium, as Artie had said.

Sure enough, she spotted him when she turned the corner. Alexa felt a huge smile spreading on her face as she walked towards Finn. When she reached him, she grabbed his arm and grinned up at him.

"The show was amazing Finn. Thanks for inviting me." She said earnestly. Then she noted the confused look on his face and his eyes darted to somewhere in front of them. She followed the direction of his gaze and saw the girl standing there. "I'm sorry I interrupted. I'll leave you two alone." She said feeling embarrassed. She turned to Finn. "See you in a while."

"Don't go." Finn stopped her. "Rachel and I were just talking about the play."

"Who is she." Alexa heard the girl asked to Finn. They both turned toward the girl standing in front of them.

"Sorry I didn't introduce you." Finn looked at Alexa. "She is Rachel Berry, one of the legends of New Direction." He turned to look at this Rachel girl again. "Rachel, she is…"

Finn didn't get to finish. Someone (a boy judging by the voice) interrupted him.

"Alexa?"

The voice startled her and she automatically stiffened. It was a voice to familiar. She would have never expected hear that voice here, in Ohio. It was a voice she once had loved. She turned her head towards the direction that the voice came from and her eyes widened when she spotted him. Standing near the corner, a few feet away from her was him: Brody.

 


	10. This is a really small world

_Rachel is taking too much time_ , Brody thought. She had leaved him and Kurt several minutes before the curtain closed. Now, after ten minutes or so after the curtain closed she hadn't return yet, so Brody decided go looking for her. He asked Kurt the general direction of the closest restroom and headed there. He didn't want for her running into Finn, and if she had to, he wanted to be there with her. He didn't wanted her feeling for him resurging if she was forced to be alone with her ex-boyfriend.

When Brody turned the corner he saw her. As he had feared, Rachel was talking to Finn. But as he walked towards them, he noticed that they weren't alone: there was a girl clinging to Finn's arm. He stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed the reddish brown hair of the girl at Finn's side, falling down in waves to her middle back. He knew that hair. He studied the girl a little more, taking in her clothes and noticing how familiar it seemed to him.

It was impossible. She should be in New York by now, living in the dorms of Julliard or in the Actors studio. This was making no sense. What was Alexa doing here? It couldn't be her. No, surly it was another girl with reddish brown hair and similar clothes. But what if it was her?

"Alexa?" He called out her name before he could stop himself.

Brody saw her jump a little in surprise and then tense beside Finn. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Rachel and Finn looked up at him immediately, but his eyes remained locked in the girl he thought was Alexa. Her reaction confirmed his suspicions: it  _was_  Alexa. It was actually her. She slowly turned her head to look at him and he saw her brown eyes go wide in recognition.

What were the odds? Of all the places in the world he had thought of meeting her, Ohio definitely wasn't one of them. He wouldn't have been surprised if he ran across her in New York, but not here. But she was here nonetheless.

* * *

What he was doing here? The reason Alexa had chosen Ohio was that she thought wouldn't found him here. They hadn't any friends or acquaintance from this state and there was no reason for him coming here, ever. But there he was, standing a few feet away from her with an expression in his face that let her know he was just as confounded as she.

Alexa felt like her legs were about to giving in, so she tightened her grip on Finn's arm.

"What are you doing here?" the words left her mouth before she knew it.

"I'm here accompanying Rachel." He answered, his eyes darting briefly towards the girl she had just met. Then he looked at her again. "What are  _you_  doing here? I thought you would be in New York this year."

"I'm sorry. Do you guys know each other?" Finn asked before Alexa could answer Brody's question.

Alexa looked up at Finn. "We knew each other back home." She retorted vaguely.

"Is that all you have to say about us? That we just knew each other?" Brody asked suddenly, a smug smirk in his face.

"There's something more to know about you two?" Rachel asked this time, narrowing her eyes and glancing between both Alexa and Brody.

"I… I… we…" Alexa stuttered. The words were failing her. How was this happening right now?

"She is my ex-girlfriend." Brody let out, turning to look at Rachel. "We were dating almost three years. We broke up short after I left for NYADA."

Alexa looked down at the floor, too uncomfortable to meet anyone's eyes. She could feel the eyes of the three of them on her, but she wouldn't look up. She prayed the earth would open end swallow her. How this night, meant to be perfect in Finn's company, was turned upside down and ended like this.

"You didn't answer my question, Alexa." She lifted her eyes from the floor when she heard Brody addressing her. "What are you doing here? You were supposed to be in New York this year."

"I'm taking a sabbatical, Brody." She said, the words coming out a little harsher than she intended. "I'm taking this year to decide what I want to do with my life and where I want to go to college. I'm not sure about going to New York anymore."

"What? Why?" Brody looked really surprised. What the hell was wrong with him? Did he want for her to go to New York and look for him? He wanted for her to try getting him back? He wanted for her to beg to be with him again? He was crazy as hell if he was thinking any of those things. He should know that she would never do that.

"I think I don't need to answer that question." She said. She was getting upset with Brody. "I think you already know why. And even if you don't, I have no wish or intention to explain myself with you. Is none of your business anyway." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Finn smirking at Brody.

* * *

Brody just narrowed his eyes at her and was just about to say something when a guy in a wheelchair appeared.

"Hey, guys." The recently arrived kid said to the four of them. His eyes studied closely at Brody. "Hi, I don't think we met before. I'm Artie, co-director of the musical with Finn." He said and held out a hand for Brody to shake.

"I'm Brody. I'm a friend of Rachel in NYADA." He retorted, shaking Artie's hand. "Nice to meet you. The play was awesome. Good work you two." He said politely. Just in that moment, Kurt appeared too.

"Alexa, this is my brother Kurt." Finn spoke up, making the introductions. "Kurt, this is my friend Alexa. She is new in town, just arrived a couple of weeks ago."

" _Enchanté_!" Kurt said softly in French, reaching out to take Alexa's hand and place a light kiss in the back of her hand. Brody saw Alexa's cheeks turning slightly pink.

They all were brought back to the present when Artie cleared his throat.

"Well," he began, "now that we all know one another, I came here to invite Finn and Alexa to the party in Sugar's house to celebrate the success of our opening night. Rachel, Kurt and Brody, you can come too if you want."

"Of course Alexa and I will be there." Finn answered looking in Alexa's direction. "Right?"

Brody watched as Alexa nodded her agreement at Finn, blushing again. He didn't understand why he felt a pang of jealousy at the thought of the two of them together. He looked at Rachel and she didn't seem so happy either.

"I don't think I'm going." Kurt said suddenly.

"We don't have to go if you don't want to." Rachel said, placing a comforting hand in her friend's shoulder and giving him a reassuring smile.

"You go with Brody if you wanted." Kurt retorted. "I'm just tired, so I'll go home and talk with my dad."

Rachel looked at Brody. "What do you say? Wanna go with me?" she smiled coyly at him.

"Yeah. Why not? I think it could be fun." Brody answered and then glanced at Alexa just to see her glaring at him. He smirked to himself and offered his arm to Rachel. She looped her arm in his without hesitation, and when she did, Brody thought he saw Finn cringed a little.  _Perfect_ , was the word that crossed his mind.

* * *

They all headed to the parking lot, where they said goodbye to Kurt and then everyone boarded their cars. Finn will drive Artie to Sugar's. Alexa will follow in her own car, and Brody will be driving Rachel's car with Rachel in the passenger seat.

When they all leave the parking lot behind and were heading towards Sugar's Alexa let out a long breath.  _This is gonna be long night_ , she thought while driving.


	11. Duet-off

The party in Sugar´s house was really great, but Brody had his mind in too many places at the same time. He made sure to be by Rachel's side the entire time, but it wasn't just for the pleasure of her company. He had more than one reason. First, he wanted to moderate her drinking. He wasn't taking alcohol because he had to drive her home after the party and he didn't want for her to get too drunk. It didn't suit her.

Second, he wanted to make Finn jealous. He didn't know why, but he wanted to make sure Finn always saw him really close to Rachel: whispering something in her ear, her arm looped to his own, his hand in the small of her back, he holding her hand. Many times he glanced Finn's way and saw him shooting daggers at him before look away. This brought a smug smirk to Brody's face.

And third, he wanted call Alexa´s attention and make her jealous too. This unsettled him a little. Why he wanted that? He was half-expecting for her to come and drag him away from Rachel at any moment, but why? He didn't understand.

Brody caught glimpses of her when he was glancing to see Finn's reaction to his closeness with Rachel. Every time he looked away with a hurt expression, she glanced his way, scowled at him and turned her attention to Finn, trying to cheer him up. He knew her too well to know that her scowls weren't because of jealousy of him being with Rachel. He knew she was mad at him rubbing it in Finn's face. This was bothering him, it was no the reaction he wanted.

An arm looping in his own brought him out of his thoughts. He looked down to see Rachel smiling at him. He forced himself to smile back, hoping she didn't notice it was just a halfhearted grin.

"I have a proposition for you." She said in a mysterious tone, with a seductive look and a spark shining in her eyes.

"And what is that?" He asked, arching his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Wanna have a duet with me to lift up the party?"

"Do I have a choice?" he asked teasingly. She shook her head lightly and gave him a playful grin. He smiled back. "There's nothing a want more than that in this moment." He said and the headed towards the makeshift stage set up in the middle of the room.

* * *

Alexa felt his heart aching for Finn when she saw the hurt look on his face. At first, she didn't know what the reason was, but then her eyes drifted towards Brody and she understood: he was rubbing being with that Rachel girl in Finn's face. She felt greatly annoyed with him. What was his damn problem? She narrowed her eyes at him and turned to Finn.

The pang of pain she felt was because she didn't want to see Finn suffering but also because he was supposed to be there with her, yet he also was jealous about her ex-girlfriend being with other guy.

She tried not to take it personal. She understood that they had broken up not too long ago and she had to admit she was a little uncomfortable about Brody being with other girl in the same room she was. But she would never let her face show she was jealous. She wouldn't give Brody that satisfaction for Finn's (and hers too) sake.

She touched Finn's arm and smiled warmly at him when he turned to look at her.

"Hey." She said softly, rubbing his arm up and down, trying to sooth him. "Don't let him get in your mind. This is a party and we came here to have fun." She gave him a reassuring squeeze and smile.

"I know." He answered somewhat tiredly with a week smile. "I'm sorry. It shouldn't hurt but…"

"Don't." She cut him off. "You don't need to explain anything to me. I completely understand. You have nothing to be sorry about." Alexa assure him still smiling.

Finn's smile widened a little. "Thank you." He said, taking her hand in his. She stood in her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Then she noticed the change in the music.  _Devotion_ by Hurts ft. Kylie Minogue began to play. She and Finn looked around and saw Rachel and Brody standing in the makeshift stage right before Brody started to sing.

_Inside the heart of every man_   
_There is a lust you understand_   
_And I'm just the same._   
_When all the love has gone away_   
_And passion stares me in the face._   
_Could I walk away?_

It was her imagination or Brody glanced towards her more than to his current duet partner? Was he remembering all the duets they did together? Alexa shook her head to get rid of those thoughts.

_Here's hoping_   
_You'll help me to be brave._   
_Devotion save me now_   
_I don't want to stray from the hallowed ground_   
_I'll turn temptation down._   
_I'm asking you to take me_   
_To safety this time._

Now Rachel took the microphone and began to sing her part of the song.

_Forgive my thoughts when I'm asleep_   
_Forgive these words I'm yet to speak_   
_I feel so ashamed._   
_Right now you seem so far away_   
_So much confusion clouds my way_   
_And I don't know which path to take._

Now they began to sing together to finish the song. Alexa could see the extra effort that took for Brody to focus only in Rachel. She thought that she saw his eyes drifting towards her. Okay, that was definitively weird on him. He had never have problems in connecting with a singing partner before.

_Here's hoping_   
_You'll help me to resist._

_Devotion save me now_   
_I don't wanna stray from the hallowed ground_   
_I'll turn temptation down._   
_I'm asking you to take me_   
_to safety_   
_This time._

When the song ended, everyone in the room burst into applauses. Alexa clapped her hands mechanically and she could say that Finn was doing the same. She looked up to him and saw him staring right ahead, to the pair that had just performed.

* * *

"Thanks for that guys." The kid named Artie complemented.

"That was awesome, really." An Asian (Tina was her name?) girl added.

"Thanks, guys." Rachel thanked with a huge smile on her face and Brody knew she had enjoyed herself while singing. It made him glad that he accepted sing with her.

"Why don't we have another couple to sing for us now?" Brody turned his head towards the owner of the voice and saw it was Blaine. He was elbowing at Finn and Alexa.

This confused him. Alexa had sang for them? He knew she was shy with people she didn't know and that she had been in here just a couple of weeks, and she already sang for them? It took him a long time get her to sing for him, even though they knew each other since they were kids. He was sure that this had something to do whit Finn and this knowledge was making him feel a pang of jealousy he couldn´t understand.

Brody saw Alexa´s nervousness and thought, for a second, the she would refuse. But then Finn leaned down and whispered something to her ear. She looked at his reassuring expression and nodded, taking his hand in hers. Finn gave her a little squeeze and led her towards the stage where he and Rachel still stood. He looked at Rachel and saw the emotions displaying in her eyes: hurt, jealousy and a little bit of anger. He took her hand and helped her off the stage, leaving space for the new performers. The music began to play and it was  _Just a Kiss_  by Lady Antebellum.

Alexa lifted the microphone, looked at Finn straight in the eyes in started to sing.

_Lyin' here with you so close to me_   
_It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe_   
_I'm caught up in this moment, caught up in your smile_

She was actually smiling at Finn, a genuine smile that made her eyes lit up. A pang of jealousy and possessiveness hit Brody again. He had only seen her smile that way to him before. Finn's eyes looked into Alexa's with intensity while he started his part of the song.

_I've never opened up to anyone_   
_So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms_   
_We don't need to rush this, let's just take it slow._

They began their part together, eyes never leaving each other's. It was like they had gone to a place locked away from the rest of the world and there were only this two in the room.

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight_   
_Just a touch of the fire burning so bright_   
_And I don't want to mess this thing up_   
_No, I don't want to push too far_   
_Just a shot in the dark that you just might_   
_Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life_   
_So baby, I'm alright with just a kiss goodnight_

He looked at Rachel and saw that her expression had hardened too.

_I know that if we give this a little time_   
_It'll only bring us closer to the love we wanna find_   
_It's never felt so real, no; it's never felt so right_

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight_   
_Just a touch of the fire burning so bright_   
_No, I don't want to mess this thing up_   
_I don't want to push too far_   
_Just a shot in the dark that you just might_   
_Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life_   
_So baby, I'm alright with just a kiss goodnight_

_No, I don't want to say goodnight_   
_I know it's time to leave_   
_But you'll be in my dreams_   
_Tonight, tonight, tonight_

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight_   
_Just a touch of the fire burning so bright_   
_And I don't want to mess this thing up_   
_I don't want to push too far_   
_Just a shot in the dark that you just might_   
_Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life_   
_So baby, I'm alright_   
_Oh, let's do this right with just a kiss goodnight_   
_With a kiss goodnight, kiss goodnight._

When the song came to an end, they all clapped. Brody did it too, but his face was blank, his eyes still fixed in Alexa and Finn in the stage. They were still looking at one another's eyes and acting like they were alone.

How had they done it? They had really connected while singing, like they were singing their real emotions. They hadn't looked away from the other in the entire song. This was upsetting Brody. While he was singing with Rachel, he couldn't really concentrate on her and his eyes darted in Alexa's direction too many times for him to count them. He looked at Rachel and could see she was feeling exactly the same as he. And then he saw Rachel's eyes widening and turned his head immediately towards the stage to see what was happening.

Surly everything happened in just a couple of seconds, but Brody watched everything in slow motion: one of Finn's hands had cupped Alexa's face and the other rested in her waist. Alexa's hands were clutching Finn's shirt. They both leaned forward and his lips met in the middle.

Brody's body froze. He could hear the gasps of surprise and awe all around him, but he could not look away from Finn's and Alexa's kiss.


	12. This is war

"Don't be nervous." Finn whispered in her ear. "It'll be just like the first time we sang together in the karaoke club, remember? Just look at me."

Alexa turned to look at him and nodded. He led her towards the stage. The music started and she locked eyes with Finn. When she began to sing the first words of the lyrics of  _Just a Kiss_  by Lady Antebellum, the rest of the world disappeared and there was nobody else. There were just the both of them and the music, and it was like he had said: like that one time in the karaoke club.

Again she felt like she was singing what her heart was feeling, and she could see that was the same for Finn. For a brief second, Brody appeared in the back of her mind. She thought in his lack of concentration during his and Rachel's duet. She wanted to look at him to see the expression in his face, but she just could not look away from Finn's eyes. The more her gaze was locked in Finn's, the less she thought about Brody, about anyone else who wasn't the boy standing in front of her and singing along with her. The rest of the world quickly faded away.

The song came to an end and for a couple of seconds the just stared at each other, still locked away in their own little world. Then she felt one of Finn's hands cupping her face and other in waist. She took hold of his shirt and leaned forward when he did and their lips met.

She didn't know if there had passed a couple of minutes or just seconds when she heard the gasps of surprise. Suddenly she remembered where she was and why she had sang with the guy kissing her. She lingered just a moment before move away.

When Alexa looked around the first thing she saw was the shocked expression on Rachel's face and the anger in Brody's eyes.

* * *

What the hell they thought they were doing? Was that what Finn has whispered in her ear? Brody couldn't stop wondering what their motives for kissing were. The rage was rising inside him while he tried to analyze their kiss. He had been trying to get them both jealous of him and Rachel. Were they trying to do the same? Because it had worked, at least Brody was jealous.

It made no sense to him. Why was he jealous? Plus, if this was what Finn was told her to get her to sing it would've useless, because she would become even more nervous and refuse to sing entirely. No, it wasn't a planned kiss. Brody knew Alexa too well to know that it had all been spontaneous. Then it hit him. They were not trying to do anything to make him and Rachel jealous. What was bothering him was that they honestly liked each other.

That was the reason for his uneasiness. He had thought that, despite everything, Alexa's heart was still his. Realizing that he had lost it made him realize that he still wanted it. He wanted Alexa back. She was  _HIS_.

Anyway, he would never admit this out loud and the anger was blinding his judgment. When Alexa's eyes landed on him, he looked at her for a second, glaring at her. This was war. And then, before he knew what he was doing he turned to Rachel, grabbed her by the waist and kissed her.

Brody felt her hesitation and surprise, and for a second he feared that she wouldn't kiss him back, but the he felt her arms lock around his neck and knew she was on his side. When he heard the gasps of surprise of the group in the room, he pulled Rachel closer and she didn't fight him.

The kiss went on for a minute or so. When he broke away, his eyes immediately searched for Alexa and Finn. The kiss had the desired effect on Finn, he was shocked: wide-eyed and mouth hanging open. When looked upon Alexa, he was slightly disappointed: she was surprised, yes, just like everybody else, but her face showed that she was more worried about Finn.

When Alexa's eyes met Brody's, he smirked again, because he saw that she was hurt about the kiss. Maybe now she would come to him, dragging him to a corner and beg to get back with him.

Instead, she glared at him, took Finn by the forearm and tugged until they got off the stage and moved towards a nearby couch. When they sat down, Finn's head fell to his hands. Alexa was rubbing soothing circles in his back and whispering something in to his ear. Okay, that was not the reaction Brody wanted, but at now at least he knew he still meant something to her; he had something to work with.

* * *

He was so obvious. Alexa knew him too well and could see right through him. He wouldn't have kissed that Rachel girl if he hadn't saw her kissing Finn. The difference was that her kiss with Finn was something born from the moment. It was sincere in spontaneous. Brody clearly kissed Rachel out of spite and jealousy.

But then, she saw Finn's reaction: he was hurt. No, more than that. He was practically devastated with the scene in front of his eyes. She had to admit that seeing Brody kissing other girl in front of her stung more than a little, but she was determined to get over her feeling towards him, or at least not let them show up (she wanted to be an actress after all). He was the one who ended the relationship and it had been two years, so she was all about moving on. Even though she still cared, she would not let Brody know.

However, Finn needed a friend now, and she was his friend. She led him to a couch where he could deal with his emotions.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled in between sobs.

"It's okay." She answered rubbing his back. "I know it hurts, but it's going to be okay. I promise." She kept telling him, and she realized that she was trying to convince herself as well.

They sat like that for a while: he trying to get his emotions under control again and she trying to comfort him and also trying not letting her own emotion showed up. That would mean give Brody what he wanted and she was not about that at all.

When Finn calmed down enough, she stood and went to get a soda for him. After handing the drink to him, she told him she was going to the restroom.

Alexa shut and locked the restroom door. Then she put her hands at the edge of the counter top and gripped tightly, breathing in and out slowly. What was Brody trying? It was obvious he wanted to make her jealous, but why? He was the one who walked away. Could be possible he was trying to make her relive her feeling for him? That made no sense at all. He didn't want her anymore. He was here with Rachel. They only ran across each other accidentally. What were his motives to possibly want for her still holding on to him? That didn't matter; she won't give him the satisfaction to know she still had feelings for him.

After splashing cool water in her face, she opened the bathroom door just to found herself face to face with her ex.

* * *

"Thinking about me in there?" he asked with a smug smirk. "Did my kiss with Rachel affected you that much?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You didn't seem indifferent to my kiss with Finn either." She countered and his smirk faded a little. "At least I didn't kiss him just to get you jealous."

He smile reappeared wider than before. "So you  _did_  get jealous." It wasn't a question, he just knew.

"What do you want?" she asked him tiredly, ignoring his smugly comments.

"You." He saw her rolling her eyes at him. His expression changed. "I'm serious."

"Let me see if I get it right: you're trying to make me jealous because you want me back?" he just nodded and she laughed. "Yeah, right." She said sarcastically.

Now it was his turn to narrow his eyes. "I don't see the joke."

"The joke is," she began, "that you broke up with me two years ago and I haven't known anything about you since then. And now you expect for me to believe that you still have feelings for me and want to get back together while you're here with other girl? This  _has_  to be a joke."

He felt his anger welling inside. "Well, is not." He spat at her. "And now I know that you still have feeling for me." He saw her cringe a little at his statement and he knew he was right. "You can't lie to me, I know too well and you know that. No matter what you say now, you're mine and I'm getting you back. Remember that." He turned to leave but her voice stopped him.

"And Rachel knows that you're just using her to make me jealous?"

He didn't turn to face her. "I don't think she mind, as long as it would get you away from Finn."

"Well, good luck with getting me back," she said in a smugly tone, "because you'll be in New York with her, and I'll be here with him. I don't think we're seeing each other any time soon."

He flinched a little, but she could not see it with his back facing her. "We'll see." He said and finally walked away.

 


	13. Marking conversations

The flight back to New York went on in an awkward silence. After his conversation with Alexa at the party, Brody and Rachel stayed just a while before they left. Kurt was seated by the window and Brody by the hallway, with Rachel seated between the two of them.

Brody knew she was just as upset as he was that she felt the same possessiveness towards Finn that he felt with Alexa. He spent the whole fight debating with himself about talking to Rachel of his rediscovered feelings for Alexa and how this affected their relationship from now on. Eventually, just before the plane landed, he decided keep his mouth shut for now.

Alexa was right, they wouldn't see each other anytime soon, and until he could find an excuse to go to Ohio and spend some time with her, he thought he could have some fun with Rachel in the meantime. Alexa didn't need to know.

"See you around school, Rachel." He said before parting ways in the airport. "Take care, Kurt." He nodded curtly and left.

* * *

_(Ohio, two weeks later)_

"You're doing  _Gangman Style_  tomorrow for sectionals?" Alexa asked incredulously. They were eating Chinese food at Alexa's place, sitting on the floor of her living room. "Are you sure about it?"

Finn chuckled. "You sound just like the rest of the Glee club when I told them."

"Well, is a little surprising. But I trust in your judgment. If you think is the best, I have nothing to say against it." She said reaching out for his hand. "You know I totally support you." She gave his hand a light squeeze and smiling at him.

They had had a couple of rough days after the party at Sugar's. He wouldn't look at her in the eyes, too ashamed that his feelings for Rachel were that strong when he was trying to start something with her. It took a lot of time for Alexa to convince him that it was okay and that she completely understood. Now she was glad and thankful that she kept her own confused emotions toward Brody to herself, or it all would've even more complicated.

Eventually, after a ton of apologies, Finn relented and they slowly started to grow back together and hang out as usual: going out to the Lima Bean or Breadstix or the karaoke club, then taking each other's hands and laughing, exchanging light pecks and a couple of lingering kisses. She invited him to her home for eat pizza one evening and they ended up having dinner at her place every day since then.

But every night, when she was alone, Alexa's mind drifted to her last conversation with Brody.

" _I know you still have feeling for me. You can't lie to me, I know too well and you know that. No matter what you say now, you're mine and I'm getting you back. Remember that." He turned to leave but she called after him._

" _And Rachel knows that you're just using her to make me jealous?"_

_He didn't turn to face her. "I don't think she mind, as long as it would get you away from Finn." She cringed a little but then she remembered that he'll be gone in the morning._

" _Well, good luck with getting me back," she said in a smugly tone, "because you'll be in New York with her, and I'll be here with him. I don't think we're seeing each other any time soon."_

_He still won't face her. "We'll see." He said surprising her and walking away. She stood there, too stunned to be functional right away._

_After a couple of minutes, when she was finally able to collect herself and move again, she went to find Finn._

Finn's voice called her back to the present. "Alexa? Did you hear me?"

She blinked and shook her head to clear it out. "I'm sorry, I got distracted. What did you just said?"

"I asked you if you're coming tomorrow to sectionals. The guys would love having you there." He said hopefully. "Unless you have other plans for thanksgiving, of course."

She smiled warmly at him. "I don't have other plans. I had thought about going home, but I didn't buy a ticket. Of course I'm going to sectionals. I love watching your friends from the Glee club performing."

"Okay, then." He said and they ate the rest of their Chinese food in comfortable silence.

* * *

Finn has just left Alexa's place and was driving towards home. Tomorrow was sectionals and he was really nervous. It really meant a lot for him winning. It was a way to prove he could do something successfully, without failing. He needed to win this, for his friends and because he already had lost too many things.

One conversation came to his head while driving. A conversation he had with Rachel at Sugar's party two weeks ago, while Alexa was in the bathroom and Brody wasn't around for some reason.

" _What are you doing with her? We just broke up." She asked, somewhat annoyed. Finn could tell she was a little drunk too._

" _This is funny; you telling me this when you're here with another guy too." He told her with a smirk._

_She looked like he had just hit her. "W-well," she stuttered, "T-that's none of your business." Her word slurring a little._

" _I could say the same thing to you. You have no right to ask any explanations from me since it was_ you _who ended the things between us."_

" _I don't like her." she said_

" _Too bad for you. I don't like Brody but you don't see me interfering between the two of you." He saw her flinch and then continued. "I thought at least we could still be friends and that you'd be happy of seeing me happy. Guess I was wrong."_

" _What do you mean?" she asked, a hint of hurt in her eyes, as she knew what he was about to say._

" _I mean," he took a deep breath to brace himself, "I think it would be better for both of us if we don't contact each other in any way: no calls, no mails and no text messages. Anything. When you're in town I don't want to know."_

_She was speechless for a few seconds and then she asked. "Is that what you want?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Okay then." She said and turned to leave. She stopped for a moment, tilted her head to the side and said "Goodbye, Finn." And she walked away._

He knew he had hurt Alexa with his reactions to Rachel kissing Brody. He felt he couldn't apologize enough, but she was understanding and patient with him, making him feel okay again.

He shook he head to get rid of those thoughts. He needed to focus on sectionals. He knew Rachel and Kurt weren't coming home for thanksgiving so he wouldn't worry about that. Tomorrow was an important day and he needed to rest now.

When he was settled in bed, his cellphone rang. He had a text message. It was from Alexa:  _sleep tight. C U 2morrow. It's gonna be a gr8t day ;)_

He smiled, leaned back and drifted off to a peaceful slumber.


	14. Disastrous Thanksgiving Sectionals

The day for sectionals had come. The stress was evident in the choir room. Even Alexa was a little nervous, because she how important was this contest and how much it meant for her friends.  _Her friends_. Yes, they had become her friends, had welcomed her with open arms and had made her feel at home in a place so far away from her own. She really wanted for they to win; they had worked too hard and they deserved it.

When she arrived, she greeted everyone with a huge smile and gave them words of reassurance. She even tried to calm down the most nervous ones, such as Marley, Ryder and Jake. Marley was almost hyperventilating because she has the main duet with Blaine and such a pressure for her first competition was getting the best of her. Alexa tried to reinforce the idea in her mind that she was talented enough and that she had it in her to go through this, that all she had to do was believe in herself.

Artie and Tina introduced her to the ex-members of the Glee club (the ones who had graduated last year along with Finn): Puck, Quinn Fabray, Santana Lopez, Mercedes Jones and Mike Chang. They were really nice to her and the guy named Puck even tried to flirt with her. She just laughed it off.

Alexa was wandering around when she caught a glimpse of Finn. She smiled to herself, because he looked so cute when he was nervous: he was pacing back and forth by a corner, running his hands through his hair and trying to take deep breaths to relax. She knew this meant a lot for him to as a way to prove to himself that he wouldn't let down his friends nor Mr. Schuester and that he could success in something, but she could not stop thinking that his nervousness was endearing.

As quietly as she could, Alexa approached him and took his hand in hers. "Hey, there." She said softly and grinning, willing her expression to be as calming for him as possible.

* * *

When he felt a hand in his and heard someone speaking to him, Finn looked up from the floor to found Alexa's face smiling at him. At the sight of her, he immediately began to relax a little. He always was more confident when she was around.

"You made it." He said returning her smile.

"I told you I'd be here." Her smile widened.

They were silent for a couple of seconds when Finn spoke up again. "Thanks for coming. I'm totally freaking out. Is a lot of pressure and I feel like I'm about to lose it. This really means a lot to me and…" he was cut off by Alexa's finger pressed against his lips.

"Shh, Finn. Don't be nervous. Everything is going to be okay; you'll see. You told me New Directions never has lost Sectionals, right?" Finn nodded. "You have to trust in those guys and yourself. Just relax and enjoy the show." She said and stood in her tiptoes to give him a quick peck in the lips.

This gesture coaxed a smile to his face. He could never understand how she was able to calm his greatest fears and insecurities. Her presence seemed chase away all his troubles, it was almost like… No he will not think about Rachel while he was with Alexa, much less compare the two of them. It wasn't fair.

He felt a squeeze in his hand and realized that her hand was still holding his.

"We should go to take our seats. The show is about to start. The Warblers are first." She said to him.

"Just wait a minute." He said.

Finn led her to the center of the room and asked for the other's attention. It was time for the Show circle. Finn asked for Joe to say a prayer and then he said a few motivational words. They all joined hands at the center and then lifted them up, shouting the word ' _AMAZING!_ ' like was their tradition. Then they headed for the auditorium: the competition was on.

* * *

( _New York, Rachel's and Kurt's apartment, thanksgiving party_ )

Rachel watched as Isabelle hugged Kurt and quickly guessed he must just called Blaine to wish him and the rest of New Directions good look before their performance. For just a second she wished she was there, supporting her friends. All the seniors had made a promise of go back to Lima for the holidays and she wondered if the other had kept it.

She shook her head to get rid of those thoughts. The less she and Finn were in the same place, the better. He had wanted it.

When Isabelle let go of Kurt, she approached to him.

"Have they performed yet?" she asked.

"No, but is almost time. They're about to go out now."

She nodded and said nothing more. She silently prayed for good luck and success for her former Glee club.

* * *

( _Ohio, McKinley High auditorium, Show Choir competition_ )

Finn and the New Direction had gone to the backstage to get ready for the performance. It was clear that the Warblers were the ones to worry about, but she was confident about her friends and their talent. Mr. Schuester had arrived a while ago from Washington to cheer his kids up.

The first notes of  _Gangman Style_  began to come out and Sam appeared in the stage. Short after they all were on the stage, Finn came to seat by her side and she took his hand. She rubbed circles with her thumb in the back of his hand to try and calm him down, but she stopped and let go her hand when the crowd stood and began to acclaim them. She herself stood and began to shout and scream to show her support. The choreography was excellent and Tina was absolutely amazing with the lead.

Everything was awesome. And then something happened. When the song ended, someone fell in the stage. Paying closer attention she realized that Marley had passed out. This was bad; she had the lead in the next song. She watched as Mr. Schuester and Finn ran towards the stage along with Santana and Puck. She stood frozen in place, not knowing what to do and shocked for what had just happened.

In the crowd, she was able to locate Marley's mom and went to her. The lady was very anxious for her daughter; she was at the verge of a nervous breakdown. Alexa had her sitting and tried to assure her that Marley will be alright, that Finn and Mr. Schuester were taking care of her.

When Marley's mom calmed down a bit, she asked her to go and see about Marley. Alexa nodded and began to run towards the choir room. When she was about to enter, she listened as Sue Sylvester let know the Glee club about the Warblers being named as the winners of the contest. Her heart ached for Finn and the others. She didn't feel capable of be with them now; it was a moment theirs alone. She was about to leave when she saw Puck and Santana walking out of the room.

"Hey, guys." She said shyly. They both just nodded sadly. "I'm sorry about what happened. Can you tell Finn that I left and to call me if he need anything?" they nodded again. "And please can someone go to speak with Marley's mom? She is really worried." She finished

"Don't worry. We'll take care of it." Puck said. "But why are you leaving? Finn might need you by his side."

She looked at Finn's direction for a moment and his expression broke her heart; he was so shocked and disappointed.

She looked back at Puck and answered. "I think he might need a moment for himself now. He if need  _me_  he will call me. Can you please tell him that?" Puck nodded and gave a look that said he understood. With that she went to the parking lot, get into her car and drove towards home.

Just an hour had passed since she arrived home and put on her pajamas when there was a knock in her door. She went to open and found a tired-looking Finn with red eyes from crying.

"Finn…" Before she could say anything else, he pulled her in to his arms and held her tight. She couldn't do anything but return the hug. That's when she felt him start to sob.

* * *

Finn shuffled through the hallways of her building towards her apartment. He just needed to see her; he just needed for her to tell him that everything will be okay again. He knocked weakly at her door. Alexa opened wearing just a pink tank shirt, lavender cotton shorts and a pair of red slippers boots.

When she said his name, he lost it: all the strength he had mustered to drive to her place went flying out of the window. He pulled her into his arms, and when he felt her arms lock around him, he began to cry again. They stood there for a while, until he had cried out all his tears and calmed down a little. She pulled away some and took his hand, tugging him inside.

"Can I stay here tonight?" He asked when she closed the door. She looked at him wide-eyed and he elaborated. "I just… I feel awful. I don't want to be alone tonight and you were the only person I thought to come to. You're the only person I think wouldn't judge me."

She looked puzzled. "Why would anyone judge you?"

"Because I failed them." He said and felt himself began to tremble.

"You didn't." she said sweetly, reaching out to caress his cheek. "You did everything in your hand to help them win. What happened is not your fault; you couldn't know something like that would happen." She gave him a little kiss on the cheek she was brushing. "Of course you can stay here." She said smiling warmly at him. Finn grinned back weakly for a moment before his expression turned to one of sorrow again.

Alexa led him toward the bedroom and sat on the bed. Then she gesture for him to do the same. When he sat next to her, she guided his head to her lap and started to run her fingers through his hair. Being there with her, he felt a little bit better.

Then he heard her began to sing softly.

* * *

Alexa didn't know what to do make Finn's sadness lessen, or at least to relax him and getting him to sleep peacefully. She thought about what he was going through and a song came to her mind. It was one of the songs that Taylor Swift has write for the movie  _The Hunger Games._ It was kind of a lullaby and fitted perfectly in this situation, so she began to sing softly for Finn.

_I remember tears streaming down your face_  
 _When I said, I'll never let you go_  
 _When all those shadows almost killed your light_  
 _I remember you said: don't leave me here alone_  
 _But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight_

_Just close your eyes_  
 _The sun is going down_  
 _You'll be alright_  
 _No one can hurt you now_  
 _Come morning light_  
 _You and I'll be safe and sound_

She felt his muscles began to relax. She continued running her fingers through his hair and with her other hand she rubbed small circles on his shoulder.

_Don't you dare look out your window,_  
 _Darling everything's on fire_  
 _The war outside our door keeps raging on._  
 _Hold onto this lullaby_  
 _Even when the music's gone_

_Just close your eyes_  
 _The sun is going down_  
 _You'll be alright_  
 _No one can hurt you now_  
 _Come morning light_  
 _You and I'll be safe and sound_

She looked at his face when his breathing started to even and saw his eyes closed, so she sang the last words really quietly.

_Just close your eyes_  
 _You'll be alright_  
 _Come morning light,_  
 _You and I'll be safe and sound..._

After the song ended, she carefully put Finn's head out of her lap and into the pillow. Then she laid down to his said and cuddled to him. In his sleep, he wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled into his chest, clutching to his shirt with both hands. It was like this that she drifted off too.


	15. Get back on your feet

Finn woke up with a start forgetting for a second where he was. His eyes scanned the room quickly. It was a girl room, which was obvious. Then he noticed there was someone in his arms. A girl, probably the owner of the room. A girl with curly reddish brown hair and tan skin that was clinging to his shirt in her sleep. Alexa.

The events from the previous night came rushing back to his mind: Marley passing out on stage, the Glee club abandoning the stage mid show, New Directions losing sectionals, he looking around for Alexa, Puck telling him she had gone home, he driving towards her apartment, he crying in her arms, she singing until he fell asleep.

The pain in his chest returned and he felt as if something was squeezing his heart, hard. Alexa moved a little, still asleep in his arms and he held her closer to him. He clinged to her like a lifeline, like she was the only thing keeping him from falling apart.

Suddenly he noticed his body starting to shake. At first he was confused, but then he realized he was sobbing. He tried, desperately, to stop shaking so Alexa could continue sleeping, but it was no use. She stirred in his embrace and her eyes fluttered open. She blinked a couple of times while her eyes adjusted to the light and then she met his gaze. Her eyes went wide for a moment and he knew she must have seen the tears running down his face. His suspicions were confirmed when she silently reached for his face brushed the tears away with her fingertips, gently caressing his face. He let out a shaky breath at her touch.

* * *

Alexa was caressing his face, trying to erase the pain she was seeing etched in his expression. His eyes were shining, but not with his usual happiness. The glow was coming from the tears he was trying not to let fall. They haven't say anything since she woke up to find those sorrowful eyes looking down at her, but that was okay. She knew he would talk when he feel like talking.

"I'm sorry." Finn said after a moment.

Her hand halted and she looked up at him with confusion written all over her features. "What you have to be sorry for?" she asked.

"Came here so late last night and breaking down like that. I should have gone home. Me being here is just bothering you." He said sadly. The tone of his words broke her heart a little.

She gave him a small smile, though. "I'm glad you came here. I was worried about you, but I left because I thought you may want to be alone. When you came here I was relieved, because I knew where you were and doing what. You, in no way bothered me." She assure him sweetly. He opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off by putting her index finger on his lips. "Don't you dare to keep on arguing with me." She said in with mock sternness and this coaxed a smile in his face.

"Thanks." He said when she removed her finger. "I didn't really know where I was going when I find myself in front of your door." He said, sighing tiredly.

"Is okay." She began to rub his arm up and down. "Everything will be okay. You'll find a way out of this, you'll see."

They stayed in bed a little longer. When they got up, Alexa made breakfast and force-fed Finn. After they done eating, he said he should probably leave because his family would be worried. She didn't try to stop him, but told him to be calm and assure him that everything will get better.

* * *

_(Three days later)_

Nothing was getting better. It was the exact opposite: couch Sylvester had taking over the choir room, almost everyone in Glee club had joined to other clubs and refused to go and rehearse for the Holiday concert. Only Marley hadn't quitted yet. Finn was too depressed and had no idea what to do. He had received a call from Rachel and that had lifted his spirit a little bit, but that quickly changed when the guys still refused to come and rehearse.

Alexa was desperate too. She wanted to cheer Finn up but no ideas came to her mind. So she decided to reunite everyone and plan something. Some of them, like Tina, Blaine and Artie (the ones with more influence in the group) were reluctant at first, but after a speech of tough love from Alexa's part led them to agree to help cheer Finn up. Alexa also convinced them that they shouldn't quit the Glee club and that, together, they would find a way to fix the mess. But they needed remain united

Alexa felt like her plan could work, and she was even more hopeful when Marley announced she had found a place for rehearse. It would be Marley's job take Finn to the school courtyard (the place for the rehearsal) and then Alexa and the other would do the rest.

When they arrived, Finn and Marley were already there, so everyone quickly hid while Alexa made her way towards Finn and Marley. They were sitting on a bench in the court yard and was starting to snow. Finn's face was concerned; Alexa knew he was afraid no one else was coming.

"Hey." She said when she was near them.

Finn met her eyes. His were filled with surprise of seeing her there. "Hey. How did you know I was going to be here?"

"Marley told me when I said I was worried about you." She answered. Alexa kneeled in front of him before continue. "Finn, I came here because I wanted to cheer you up and just one thing came to my mind. Do you know what it is?" she smiled playfully.

The corners of Finn's mouth lifted up a little. "A song?"

Alexa nodded. "I found the perfect song for you. And since the band is already here…" she trailed off and got up. The band already knew which song she was going to sing, so they just started to play it and Alexa began to sing.

_And it's a sad picture, the final blow hits you_   
_Somebody else gets what you wanted again_   
_You know it's all the same, another time and place_   
_Repeating history and you're getting sick of it_   
_But I believe in whatever you do_   
_And I'll do anything to see it through_   
_Because these things will change._

She took Finn's hand and pulled, so he was standing in front of her. She locked eyes with him and willed her words to make him understand that she meant every single syllable. When she reached the chorus, Marley began to sing along with her and the rest of the guys started to come out of their hiding places, singing along too.

_Can you feel it now?_   
_These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down_   
_It's a revolution, the time will come for us to finally win_   
_We'll sing hallelujah!_   
_We'll sing hallelujah! Oh_

* * *

Finn was in the verge of tears. He had no idea of how she had done it, but everyone was here. Suddenly he started to feel more hopeful about get over all the difficulties the Glee club was facing. He wanted to believe in what the song was saying. He wanted to have the faith Alexa had in him.

_Tonight we stand, get off our knees,_   
_To fight for what we worked for all these years_   
_And the battle was long, it's the fight of our lives_   
_Will we stand up champions tonight._   
_It was the night things change._

_Can you see it now?_   
_These walls that they put up to hold us back fell down_   
_It's a revolution, throw your hands up, 'cause we never gave in_   
_We sang hallelujah!_   
_We sang hallelujah!_   
_Hallelujah!_

By the time the song ended, they were all hugging one another and Finn let himself feel optimistic and hopeful about the future.


	16. Christmas at Lima

There was a party at Blaine's this afternoon that would last until 8 p.m. (because Blaine had something else to do after) and Finn had invited her. Afterwards, Alexa was planning on spend the night watching Christmas movies and eating pizza or something. Finn had asked her to come and have dinner with him and his mother, but she refused. She was already homesick enough as it was, and going over to Finn's would only make it worse. It would make her long for  _her_  family even more.

She could have gone home to spend the holidays with her parents, but she decided against it, because her parent would beg for her to stay and maybe, just  _maybe_ , she would stay. And right now she wanted was to be here, in Lima, with Finn and her other friends. And away of all the memories of her and Brody. After he walked back into her life, she hadn't been able to stop thinking about him every once in a while and the text messages he had been sending to her didn't help either:

_Thinking about U… what r U doing?_

_I hope to c soon… counting down the minutes._

_It's coming on Christmas… I'm thinking of all the times with you under the mistletoe_

The list keeps going. She was trying to focus on Finn, but it wasn't helping that every day she received at least three text messages from Brody. Even though she wanted to hate him, she found herself thinking about all the things he texted her: the mistletoe, their duet at dinner in Christmas Eve with both of their families, the times they went ice skating to a nearby lake after dinner and exchanged presents before midnight, their kisses when the clock marked twelve. She sighed and shook her head trying to get rid of those memories. That hadn't happen in two years and it won't happen this one.

A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts. She glances at her watch: it was too early for Finn to come and picked her; the party started at 3 p.m. and now her clock marked just five minutes past noon. She hadn't even considered begin to readying herself.

She got up from the couch and went to open the door. She was extremely confused, but perhaps Finn wanted to spend some time with her before the party.

When Alexa opened the door, she froze. She rubbed her eyes and blinked several time to make sure she wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. She reached out to touch one of the figures standing in front of her, but the figure pulled her into a big hug. All this was too real for her to be imagining it. Alexa opened her mouth to say something, but before she could get out a simple word, the person hugging her spoke.

"Alexa, my dear daughter." It was her mother's voice.

Alexa pulled back a little and glanced between her parents. "Mom? Dad? What a surprise! What are you doing here?" she began to feel her eyes watering, filling with tears of joy.

Her mother release her and now her father hugged her tenderly, the way only your dad could hug you.

"We didn't want to spend the holidays without you." Her mother explained when her father let go. "And since you refused go home, we thought that, as our gift for you this year, we cloud come here and cook dinner for you." Her mother smiled warmly.

Alexa was speechless. Her tears were running down her face. This was the best gift ever and she was grateful to get to spend Christmas with the two persons in this whole planet she loved the most. She knew they had understood Brody was the reason for her refusal to go home and didn't pushed her, deciding come to her instead.

She hugged both of her parents once more before inviting them to come inside of the apartment. Her parents knew she had just a one room apartment, so they were staying in a nearby little hotel. They would only be with her for dinner and then go back to the hotel. Then they'll return to spend the morning with her before their flight back home.

Her parents had already ate lunch, so Alexa just sat down with them in the living room and they talked for hours: about her new friends, the places she liked the most, her friends back home, how the rest of the family was and about what she wanted to do next year. She still hadn't decided anything in that regard, because every instinct in her body still pulled her to New York, and now (if she was to be honest with herself) it wasn't just college calling her name.

They were chatting animatedly when Alexa heard another knock on the door. She glanced at her watch and her eyes widened: it was a quarter after two. Surly it was Finn coming to pick her up for the party at Blaine's. With the arrival of her parents she had completely forgotten.

She jumped off the couch and opened the door. Sure enough it was Finn. She dodged the kiss he was going to give her and he gave her a confused wounded look. She tugged his arm and pulled him inside, immediately introducing him to her parents as a good friend of her. When she glanced back at him, she saw his expression was a mix of understanding and embarrassment as he realized why she had dodged his kiss.

"I don't think I can't go to the party now." She explained after all the presentations were made. "My parents arrived by surprise and I think I should stay with them."

Finn opened his mouth to say something but Alexa's father cut him off. "Don't worry about us honey." He said with a grin playing in his lips.

"Yeah. Just go and have some fun." Her mother added. "We'll stay here, get some rest and have dinner ready when you come back." She said, smiling warmly and glancing between her daughter and Finn.

"But…" she started, but Finn interrupted her.

"The party is just until eight. You won't be gone too long." He stated, his eyes pleading.

They both had been looking forward to this party to have some fun together. He had been busy with the rehearsals for the Christmas concert, and though she was there, there wasn't real time for the two of them. She sighed and gave up.

"Fine." She said with a resigned smile. "Just let me go change. I'll be back in a minute."

She changed into a pair of black leggings and a long purple woolen sweater. She put on her black boots and grabbed a black coat and a purple and white woolen scarf. She threw her cell phone, keys, wallet and some other few things into her purse and rejoined Finn in the living room. She waved goodbye to her parents, promising she would be careful and that she would be back soon, and then got out of the building to Finn's car.

The ride to Blaine's was spent making small talk and easily joking. They were both laughing happily by the time they reached their destination. They were barely inside of the house, taking their coats and scarves off and waving hello to everyone, when a tune started to play and Alexa recognized it immediately. It was  _A Holly Jolly Christmas_  by Lady Antebellum. Knowing Blaine, this surly would be the karaoke version, so she quickly hanged her stuff and began to sing with a smile.

_Have a holly jolly Christmas_   
_It's the best time of the year_   
_Now I don't know if there'll be snow_   
_But have a cup of cheer._

A male but joined her in the singing, but it was not Finn's. It was Blaine's voice. She had never sang a duet with him, so she smiled widely at him as they continued to sing together. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of Finn's amused smirk.

_Have a holly jolly Christmas_   
_And when you walk down the street_   
_Say hello to friends you know_   
_And everyone you meet_

She grabbed a handful of mistletoe and ran towards Sam and Brittany. She climbed to a nearby chair and held the plant above their heads while she and Blaine kept singing the next verse.

_Oh ho the mistletoe_   
_Home where you can see_   
_Somebody waits for you_   
_Kiss him once for me._

The couple shared a shy peck and everyone sniggered. Alexa had just arrived and she was already having so much fun.

_Have a holly jolly Christmas_   
_And in case you didn't hear_   
_Uh by golly have a holly jolly_   
_Christmas this year._

_Santa Claus is coming to town._

When the song came to its end, everybody in the room applauded. Alexa and Blaine shared a hug and congratulated each other. When she got back to Finn, he congratulated her too. The rest of the party went on in a similar way: they all took turns singing the karaoke versions of their favorite Christmas songs of all times and playing around with the mistletoe and laughing.

Somewhere during the party, Alexa got a text message, but she decided to ignored it, knowing it would probably come from Brody. She didn't want Finn seeing the message. She could read it later.

Shortly before eight, they all began to help clean the house before leaving. Blaine had to get on a plane to New York. Kurt's dad had asked him to go there and surprise Kurt. Alexa thought that was really cute.

Finn drove her back to her building, but he didn't get out of the car, wanting to avoid another awkward moment in front of Alexa's parent. After all, they were still just friends getting to know each other and seeing what would happen next. Before she exited the car, Alexa gave him a light kiss on the lips and smiled shyly against his mouth. He smiled too.

Once inside the building but before going into her apartment, she took her cell phone and checked the text she had received during the party. She was right; it was from Brody:  _I'm home for Christmas… little disappointed you're not here… I was waiting for you under the mistletoe… it doesn't matter, I'll wait for another chance… Merry Christmas._

She sighed heavily and threw her phone back into her purse. She grabbed her keys. When she entered her house, she found her mother wandering around the kitchen, finishing the last details for dinner. Her father, however, was in the living room with a guitar in hand. Obviously he was waiting for her to sing something.

"Have you still energy for one song for your parents?" he asked, rising an eyebrow.

"Always." She said, smiling at him.

Her father began to play a song she didn't want to sing. After his last text message she could not stop thinking about Brody, and  _Christmases when you were mine_  by Taylor Swift only made her think about him even more. Her father didn't know this and she didn't dare to stop him, so she put on a brave face and began to sing.

_Please take down the mistletoe_   
_Cause I don't want to think about that right now_   
_Cause everything I want is miles away_   
_In a snow-covered little town._

Brody was back home, in a snow-covered landscape. Suddenly she realized that everything she wanted at that moment was him. That she could be home with him.

_Mama's in the kitchen, worrying about me_   
_Season's greetings,_   
_Hope you're well_   
_Well I'm doing alright, if you were wondering_   
_But lately I can never tell_   
_I know this shouldn't be a lonely time_   
_But there were Christmases when you were mine_

It was true. She was fine until she ran across him at the play. She wasn't so sure about how she was after their conversation at Sugar's, when he had said he wanted her back. She had been thinking a lot about him.

_I've been doing fine without you, really_   
_Up until the night's got cold_   
_And everybody's here except you, baby,_   
_Seems like everyone's got someone to hold_   
_But for me it's just a lonely time_   
_Cause there were Christmases when you were mine_

She missed all their Christmas traditions, all the kisses under the mistletoe, the snow wars, the ice skating, the kisses in the snow. Everything. Suddenly, she found herself wanting that, somehow, Brody could hear her singing this to him.

_Merry Christmas, everybody_   
_It'll have to be something I just say this year_   
_I bet you got your mom another sweater_   
_And were your cousins late again_   
_When you were putting up the lights this year_   
_Did you notice one less pair of hands?_   
_I know this shouldn't be a lonely time_   
_But there were Christmases when I didn't wonder how you are tonight_   
_Cause there were Christmases when you were mine._

As the last notes of the guitar died, Alexa felt guilty. She shouldn't be thinking of Brody; that wasn't fair for Finn. But for some reason she couldn't help it. At least not tonight; no while singing that song. Because she really longed for those Christmases when Brody was hers.


	17. The New Years Eve Party

( _New York City, December 30, 2012_ )

Alexa hadn't gone home for Christmas. In fact, her parents weren't there either, so they must have gone to see her in Ohio. Brody had expected seeing her, hoping he could start gaining her trust back and, eventually, her heart. But that hadn't happened.

Now, almost a weak later, he was sitting in his room, looking out of the window and thinking about how Alexa had always wished being in New York for new years eve. It was her dream to spend the evening in the Times Square event and kiss someone (him at that time) at midnight. If she hadn't take the sabbatical, she would be here, maybe with him, and she could make her dream come true.

But she was in Ohio.

When he had came back from his Christmas trip, Brody had told Rachel how he felt about Alexa's reappearance and that he was planning on getting her heart back. Much to his surprise, she didn't seem mad at him. In deed, he seemed relieved, and he knew she was thinking about her own feelings towards Finn. She was understanding and even wished him luck. She hadn't pushed him away; they continued to be friends. Rachel even seemed to search for excuses to get him to go to Ohio.

His phone rang, startling him out of his thoughts. It was Rachel calling him, surely to invite him over to diner on New Years Eve. He smiled a little and answered the phone.

"Hey, Rachel. What's up?" he greeted her.

"Wanna go to a new year party with me tomorrow?" she said, excitement clear in her voice. "Blaine invited Kurt, and Kurt doesn't want to go alone. I thought maybe you would want to join us"

Blaine had been in New York for the holidays, but Brody thought he had gone for Ohio after a while. It seemed he was still in town if he was going out with Kurt.

"Rachel," he began tiredly, "I don't know…"

"Wait. Hear me out." She cut him off. "This party is at Breadstix, a restaurant in Lima, Ohio." This caught his attention. He wanted to say something, but he was lost for words right now. Rachel seemed to sense this and continued. "I think Finn and Alexa are going, too."

That was all he needed to know to make up his mind "I'll be more than happy to go with you guys."

"Great." Rachel answered from the other end of the line. "See you tomorrow then." With that, she hung out.

Brody thought that maybe he was dreaming. He had wished to see Alexa now after he couldn't for Christmas, and tomorrow he was  _actually_  going to see her.

* * *

( _Lima, Ohio, new year party at Breadstix_ )

Her parents had asked her to go home for New Years Eve before they left, but Alexa refused. She refused in fear that Brody may still be there and she didn't wanted to risk seeing him with her now unstable emotions. Brody could tempt her and maybe she would cave, ad that wasn't fair with Finn, so she decided stay in Lima and celebrate with him instead.

Now they were in a party at Breadstix. She had made the right decision because this party was awesome: there was a dance floor, bands playing, masks, funny glasses and hats, and open Mic. She was thinking in going and using it somewhere during the celebration. The organizers of the event were also doing an interesting game: every once in a while, they pointed the spotlights over two random persons and they had to go to the stage and sing something together. She really liked that.

She was dancing with Finn when something made her stop abruptly: she spotted Brody entering the restaurant with Rachel clinging to his arm. She froze at the view of the two of them. Brody had been texting her non-stop about how he wanted her back and now he had the nerve to appear to this party with her? She had thought about him and considering if he was being sincere, but know she could see his 'feelings for her' were nothing a ruse, a big lie. She felt stupid for even think about believe him.

Finn noticed her tenseness and turned his head to see was Alexa was seeing. He looked back at her again and cupped her face, making her look up at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern written all over his face. Alexa searched in his eyes for a moment before responding: he didn't seem to be affected by Rachel's presence as she was with Brody's. He was only worried about her reaction at their appearance. This thought made her smile.

"Yeah. I'm fine as long you're by my side." She said, putting one of her hands on top of his and squeezing lightly.

He gave her relieved grin. "Do you want to take a seat? We've been dancing for a while now." She nodded and Finn led her into a vacant booth that, luckily, wasn't near of the one Rachel and Brody had taken.

They ordered a couple of sodas (because Finn was driving and Alexa didn't like alcohol) and made small talk. They were comfortable and laughing, and Kurt and Blaine passed by to say hello in their way to the dance floor. Brody and Rachel kept their distance, though. Every now and then Alexa glanced their direction and found them staring at her and Finn.

A few minutes before midnight, the organizers took the stage and announced that it was time for another random duet. One of the spotlights landed on Alexa, so she stood with a laugh and began to walk towards the stage. She was almost there when she noticed who her duet partner was: it was no other than Brody. Her eyes went wide and she froze for a moment. He held out a hand to help her to the stage and she didn't even know how she could coordinate enough to take it.

He handed her a microphone just when  _Remind me_ by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood started to play. ' _Great'_ she thought sarcastically, because it was a song she had been hearing a lot lately and the lyrics made her think of Brody. She took a deep breath and averted her eyes while he began to sing. She felt his eyes trained on her face and watching her intently.

_[Brody:]_   
_We didn't care if people stared_   
_We'd make out in a crowd somewhere_   
_Somebody'd tell us to get a room_   
_It's hard to believe that was me and you._

The memories started to rush to her mind: all the moment they had spent together, crazy in love with each other, not caring about what anyone had to say. When they were like to pieces of one being. Now she couldn't even meet his eyes.

_Now we keep saying that we're okay_   
_But I don't want to settle for good not great_   
_I miss the way that it felt back then_   
_I wanna feel that way again._

_Been so long that you'd forget the way I used to kiss your neck_

She glanced shyly at him before avert her eyes again. She could never forget the way he kissed her neck. She sang her part timidly.

_[Alexa:]Remind me, remind me_

_[Brody:] So on fire so in love. Way back when we couldn't get enough_

_[Alexa:] Remind me, remind me._

When she started to sing her part, she finally met his eyes. The memories flowing without control in her mind

_[Alexa:]_  
 _Remember the airport dropping me off_  
 _We were kissing goodbye and we couldn't sto_ p

She raised an eyebrow questioningly at him as if to ask if he remembered the incident. This had actually happened. She had gone to New York to see Brody a couple of weeks before the break up. He  _had_  taken her to the airport and they  _actually_  couldn't stop kissing. He chuckled lightly before answer in the song and she knew he remembered.

_[Brody:] I felt bad 'cause you missed your flight_

She  _had_  actually missed her fight, but at that time, she couldn't care less about having another night with him. He had apologized profusely, but she shushed him with kisses

_[Alexa and Brody:] But that meant we had one more night_

_[Alexa:]Do you remember how it used to be?_   
_We'd turn out the lights and we didn't just sleep_

_[Brody:] Remind me, baby, remind me_

_[Alexa:]Oh, so on fire so in love_   
_That look in your eyes that I miss so much_

_[Brody:] Remind me, baby, remind me_

The connection Alexa had felt with Finn the times she sang with him was nothing compared to what she was feeling now. This song actually told her story with Brody; they had done most of the things the song mentioned. The connection with Brody was so intense as she sang that she felt overwhelmed. They didn't even notice that they were moving closer to each other while getting lost in the music that carried their feelings.

_[Brody:] I wanna feel that way_

_[Alexa:] Yeah, I wanna hold you close_

_[Alexa and Brody:] Oh, if you still love me_   
_Don't just assume I know_

_[Alexa:] Baby, remind me, remind me_

_[Alexa:] Do you remember the way it felt?_

She clutched his shirt, pleading for the answer with her eyes, putting all her feeling in that phrase. He grabbed her arm and squeezed for emphasis when was his turn for sing.

_[Brody:] You mean back when we couldn't control ourselves_

_[Alexa:] Remind me_

_[Brody:] Yeah, remind me_

_[Alexa:]All those things that you used to do_   
_That made me fall in love with you_   
_Remind me, oh, baby, remind me_

_[Brody:]_   
_Yeah, you'd wake up in my old t-shirt_   
_All those mornings I was late for work_   
_Remind me_

_[Brody and Alexa] Oh, baby, remind me_

When the lasts notes died I the air, they could have leaned forward and kiss, but one of the organizers forced them apart by walking between them while talking about how awesome the song had been.

Alexa looked away from Brody and made her way towards Finn. She reached him just as the final countdown of the year started. When the countdown came to ten she felt eyes in her back and turned to find Brody's gaze trained on her, not acknowledging Rachel, as though she was not there.

She was still looking at Brody when the countdown came to zero and she felt hands cupping her face and lips pressing o hers. She closed her eyes and for a moment she imagined it was Brody kissing her and let herself get lost in the feel of it. When he pulled apart and Alexa opened her eyes, a mixture of feelings (disappointment, relieve, guilt, self-consciousness) struck her when she saw it was Finn and no Brody who had kissed her at midnight.

 


	18. Aftershocks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter the the other but it's important to understand more about the plot in later chapters

_He is kissing her_. That was all Rachel could think of while observing wide-eyed the way Finn cupped Alexa's face and kissed her when the countdown for the New Year came to zero. She felt tears forming in her eyes and her heart breaking into a million little pieces she wasn't sure she would be able to put together again.

Just as the first tear rolled down her cheek, she felt a hand cupping her face and other around her shoulders, and found her head nestled against Brody's chest. Immediately she clutched his shirt and let herself began to sob. It was okay; Brody knew she wanted Finn back just as much as he wanted Alexa. She knew he should be upset about this kiss too, especially after their duet.

It was obvious for Rachel, seeing Alexa and Brody singing together, that the spark between them was threatening to become a flame and revive their old feelings. But it was obvious too that Finn was forgetting about her the more time he spent with Alexa.

_There has to be a way_ , Rachel thought.  _There has to be a way for Brody and Alexa to get back together and get her away from Finn. But how?_

* * *

Brody was frozen in place, and just as Rachel, he could only watch wide-eyed as Finn kissed  _his_  girl at midnight. He wanted nothing more than to punch Finn in the face and make him stay away from Alexa, but he knew that would only make Alexa mad at him, so he refrained himself.

Chancing a glance towards Rachel just in time to see a tear traveling down her face. This sight made something inside him move and he felt protective over her. He cradled her face against his chest blocking her view of the kiss so she could cry freely without risking Finn seeing her.

Rachel immediately clung to his shirt and her tears began to soak the fabric there.

While hugging Rachel tightly, Brody tried to think about ways to get closer to Alexa and take away from Finn. Ways to get her back to him, to get her heart back.

The only think he could think of was getting her into schools in New York City, but he didn't know how to get her to even try out. He needed think of something and thinking fast.

* * *

When Finn pulled back, Alexa saw him smiling at her. She could only give a small one in return, because her head was somewhere else and had been somewhere else since her duet with Brody. In fact, when Finn's lips were on hers, it was Brody who she was kissing in her head.

Brody. He was still here, somewhere.

She searched for him, scanning the restaurant with her eyes until she spotted him. His back was turned towards her and Finn, but it was clear he was hugging someone. Hugging  _her_.

The blood in her veins turned to ice at the sight. Alexa had thought that he had felt the same connection between them while performing, but again she had been wrong. While she was thinking of him during Finn's kiss, he wasn't thinking of her while hugging Rachel. She could see this much for the way he was facing away from her and cradling Rachel's face against his chest so…  _lovingly_.

Why still hurt so much the idea of him with another girl? It had been almost three years now. So why the only place she wanted to be next year for college was city where he was too? Of all the place she could go, she still wanted to go to NYC, and she had to admit (if only to herself) that Brody being there still was part of the reasons she had to wanting to go.

Maybe if she was there, Brody's attention would be taken away from Rachel and returned to her. And even if he didn't want to be with her anymore, why that should stop her from reaching her dreams in the city she wanted and the school she wanted?

Was in that moment she made the decision: she would go to college in New York. Be an actress or a singer was the only thing she had yet to decide.

She looked back at Finn. He was hugging other friends that had come to the party, wishing them a happy new year and laughing with them. If he had saw her staring at Brody and Rachel, he didn't show it.

Alexa's heart broke a little at the idea of hurting Finn in some way. He had always been so nice and sweet to her. What would he think of her going to New York anyways? Would he suspect that this had something to do with Brody? What would be his reaction if he found out she still had feelings for Brody? He would be hurt for sure. No, he couldn't know of her feeling towards Brody still present and so strong. He couldn't know,  _ever_.

It was a good thing they weren't official yet. It would make things easier if she got in Julliard or The Actor Studio and had to go. Besides, she didn't felt capable of make it official knowing she still had feelings for someone else and that it was probably the same for Finn too.

Anyways. Alexa decided tell Finn about her decision other day. Now they were at a party and was not the place for discussing such things. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be Valentine's day special since I couldn't write it earlier... and it will be in Alexa's and Brody's POVs since all of you know what Finn and Rachel did.


	19. Going to the auditions in NYC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a few things to say before you can read this chapter. THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION, SO PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU READ THE CHAPTER.
> 
> Let's remember this is alternate universe and some of the things that happen here don't happen in the serie and some of the things that happen in the TV show don't happen here and I want to make a couple clarifications:
> 
> \- In this story, Brody never sleeps with Miss July, since he is more of a 'good guy' in this fic.
> 
> \- The kiss between Finn and Miss Pillsbury never happens, but she does run from the altar and Finn does sleep with Rachel at the reception.
> 
> \- Brody don't have a relationship with Rachel (they kissed but nothing else because Alexa appeared in the picture) and he doesn't live with her and Kurt, and he most definitely won't be exiting an hotel room with a wad of cash.
> 
> Well... without more preamble: ENJOY!

( _Ohio, February 8_ _th_ )

"I can't believe that you're not gonna be here for Valentine's Day and miss the wedding." Finn told Alexa while she packed her things.

They were in her apartment and she was getting ready for leave to NYC in two days. As predicted, Finn hadn't take too well her decision of trying out for college in New York, but Alexa had assured him that he had nothing to worry about.

She had sent her applications and the auditions were on February 12th for Julliard and February 15th for The Actor Studio, so she decided go and spend the entire week there. Her parents had and apartment in the New York ready for her since before she decided to take the sabbatical and kept it in case she decided to go there at last, so she'd be staying there.

Of course Finn hadn't been too thrilled when he found out that Alexa was going to be away on Valentine's Day. Rachel was going to be in town and Alexa was going to be in the same city as Brody (he wasn't coming with Rachel, fact that both Alexa and Finn found odd), and that was worrying him. A lot.

"I'm sorry Finn." She apologized for like the hundredth time. "You know I wish I could stay but I really can't."

"I know." Finn sighed. "Is just… I was kind of hoping spend Valentine's Day with you and take to Mr. Schuester's wedding and now that's not gonna happen because you're going to be away."

Alexa had to smile. Even frustrated, Finn was the cutest guy she'd ever met.

"I would have loved to stay here with you." She said, cupping his cheek and soothingly caressing it with her thumb. "But you know this is important to me. Is my dream get in one of those schools. Is my future what's at stake here. Please, understand it and don't be upset."

"I don't like it." Finn answered, putting his hand on over Alexa's still on his cheek. "But I understand. I'm not upset with you."

Then he took her hand from his cheek and to his mouth, placing a soft kiss on her palm. The gesture made Alexa's smile grew even wider.

* * *

( _New York City, February 10_ _th_ )

The apartment was fully furnished and ready to be occupied by Alexa. It was clean, not even a speck of dust in any surface. It didn't looked empty or as if nobody lived there. It was cozy and homey and really well taken care of.

Alexa had to laugh. Her parents really knew her too well. They had known all along that she would come NYC anyway, no matter how many off time she took to think about it.

She walked to the window and opened it. Poking her head out, she inhaled deeply, filling her lungs of the air of New York, the city of her dreams. She was one step closer to get her dreams with these auditions, but her mind was still conflicted. Would she walk into Brody while being here? The possibilities weren't too high since he didn't she was here. But was if de ran across each other? What would happen then? She shook her head to clear it. He was with Rachel, and Finn was waiting for her in Ohio. It wouldn't matter if they ran across each other.

Instead of dwelling on it, Alexa decided concentrate on what was ahead. In two days she would be having her audition for Julliard and she needed to concentrate on that. She already knew with what song she was going to perform.

* * *

( _New York City, February 12_ _th_ _, Julliard audition_ )

"Hi, my name is Alexa Bradley, I'm applying to the acting programs and I'll be singing the song  _Suddenly_  by Ashley Tisdale."

Alexa found herself standing on the stage of the auditorium of Julliard, in front of the entrance committee, composed by various teachers of the school, and her nerves started well up within her.

"You tell us, Miss Bradley," one of the teachers said, "why did you chose this song in particular?"

"Because the lyrics represents what I want my life to be, what I dream my life will become."

The members of the committee nodded and motioned for the band to star playing the song that Alexa had selected. As the first notes flooded the room, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was one of the most important moments of her life and she needed to her best, because she was getting closer and closer to her dreams. She opened her eyes and began to sing.

_Suddenly I am in front of the lights_   
_Everything I'm feeling_   
_Scary and beautiful at the same time_   
_And every day I try just to breathe_   
_I want to show the whole world_   
_The truth inside of me._

_Suddenly people know my name_   
_Suddenly everything has changed_   
_Suddenly I feel so alive_   
_In the blink of an eye_   
_My dreams begin to reign._

As Alexa Iooked at the rows of seats in front of her she thought she could see someone in the last row, looking at her intently. Strangely, she didn't feel uncomfortable with the presence of that person (a guy, it seemed). She felt as though he was looking at her with a very familiar warmth.

_Suddenly time, feels like the wind_   
_It changes everywhere I go_   
_I'm just trying to fit in_   
_Now here I stand_   
_And I'm still just that girl_   
_I'm following my heart_   
_In this amazing crazy world._

_Suddenly people know my name_   
_Suddenly everything has changed_   
_Suddenly I feel so alive_   
_In the blink of an eye._   
_Suddenly I am center stage_   
_Suddenly I am not afraid_   
_Suddenly I believe again_   
_In a blink of an eye it's happening now._

The boy in the last row continued watching her, and suddenly she realized he was no a stranger. That guy was Brody. What he was doing here or how he knew she was going to be here was beyond her, but he was looking the same way he always did when she sang for him in the past: adoringly and slightly in awe. It stirred the feelings inside of her that she was trying to keep at bay for Finn's sake. His eyes locked on hers and she just found it impossible to look away. Everything else disappeared.

_As my dreams begin to reign_   
_I want to say to love me for me_   
_What's inside._   
_I'm gonna be positive, not run away, so much for you_   
_This is my life._

_Suddenly I am center stage_   
_Suddenly I am not afraid_   
_Suddenly I believe again_   
_In the blink of an eye_   
_My dreams begin to reign._

The applause of the member of the committee broke her stare away from Brody's and she acknowledged her audience with a little bow. When she raised her eyed again, Brody was gone and she wondered if maybe she was just imagined his presence there.

"Thank you very much Miss Bradley. Will notify you our decision as soon as possible." Said one of the teacher, dismissing Alexa. With a nod of her head, she when to the backstage to pick up her thing and left the place through the back door.

As soon as she stepped outside she knew she hadn't imagined Brody's presence during her performance. He was right there, leaning against the wall of the alley, waiting for her.

"Your voice is just as wonderful as I remember." He smiled at her and she felt her heart fluttering. She wouldn't let her face showing it, though. "I got no doubt you're gonna get in."

"How did you found out I was here and that my audition was today?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. She already had her suspicions, but wanted to hear it from him.

"Rachel called me and commented it." He confirmed. "Finn mentioned to her when she asked where you were."

Strangely, she found herself more nervous about Brody standing in front of her than about Finn spending time with Rachel. Her heart rate was speeding with each passing second and she was fighting really hard to appear distant and nonchalant.

"What do you want?" she asked with a steely gaze.

"You." He answered and smiled smugly. Alexa just rolled her eyes.

"Please, Brody. Be serious."

"I'm being serious." He said, stepping closer to her. "I want to hang out with you while you're here and show you around for when you move to NYC."

She raised her eyebrows at him. She wanted to believe his intentions were honest, but after the New Year party she wasn't sure she could trust him. Alexa didn't to believe him to have her heart crushed again if he was playing. But because two can play the same game and out of curiosity, she decided to follow along to see what he wanted.

"So. Where you want to take me?" She finally said and saw his whole lit up.

"Since we both love sing so much, let's go to 'Call Backs'."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this will continue soon... I wanted to put it all in one chapter, but I thought better of it and I will split this Valentine's Day special (I still don't know in how many parts) because I have so many ideas rounding my head right now... I'll probably be changing the rating of the fic from T to M, but I'm still no sure (about 90% probabilties that I will)... it all depends on how certain this will come to me for the next chapter... I think you can imagine what it is
> 
> Thanks for reading... I hope you enjoyed the chapter... the next will be up soon.


	20. Succumbing to the Temptation

( _New York City, February 12th_ )

"Call Backs?" she asked. What was he talking about? Had he auditioned for some play? That didn't make sense. "What do you mean?"

Brody had to laugh at that, reminding himself that she didn't know the city yet. "It's a bar where the NYADA students hang out. It has a stage where everyone who want can perform."

"Oh." Was everything that she could say.

"So I thought we could go over there, have a few drinks, sing some and see what happens next?" he said, raising his eyebrows at her in what she knew was an attempt to be seductive.

"What happens next? Someone's feeling confident." Alexa said in her best nonchalant voice. "I haven't even said that I'll go with you yet." She raised an eyebrow defiantly.

"Come on." He insisted. He wasn't about to give up on this one. "I told you, I just want to hang out."

He said so but she knew him to well and was sure he had some ulterior motive behind the invitation. She was torn between her mind and heart. Her brain was telling her to run away from him before it was too late, but her heart told her to just let all the worries go and fall into the chasm of temptation.

Her body certainly wanted for her to fall onto the abysm. Alexa still remembered all the times they had been physically together like it was yesterday, and her skin ached for his touch. Brody had been her first and, so far her only. After him she hadn't been intimate with no other guy like that. It was unthinkable for her be with someone else that way. Not even Finn had stirred that need only Brody could ignite inside her. That desire of connect with somebody that way.

She knew she was playing with fire and pushing her luck, but her brain was losing the battle, curiosity about what will he do and how, taking the best of her.

"Okay." She finally agreed. "But we'll just have a couple drinks and sing a while and then I'm going home. No funny business."

"I cross my heart." He said solemnly, taking his right hand to the left side of his chest.

"But we won't sing that song. Is too old." She said and he laughed heartedly.

She already felt like the good old times much more than what she was comfortable with.

* * *

"What do you want for drink?" Brody asked once they arrived and sat at the bar. The way to 'Call Backs' had been spent in uncomfortable silence and awkward attempts to small talk. All the while, he had been unable to take his eyes off of her, his hand itching to take her small one like before.

"Just a coke. You know I don't like the alcohol." Alexa answered simply.

Brody nodded and asked two cokes to the bartender. If she wasn't drinking neither was him. He didn't want to screw things up but enjoy and remember his time with her. Maybe if he behaved, he could even steal her a kiss by the end of the evening.

_This place is nice_ , Alexa thought. There was a piano on the stage and the music was enjoyable and not too loud. There weren't too many drunk people like could have been in any other bar. Everyone was mostly sitting around, talking animatedly or listening intently at the current performer. Once the girl who was singing finished, giving a small bow, everybody applauded while she descended from the stage and the next person went up.

Alexa took a sip from his coke while her eyes continued to scan the place, but she could feel Brody's eyes watching her intently.

"Do I have something in my face?" she asked without turning to face him. Out of the corner of her eye, she so him jump a little. Obviously he wasn't expecting for her to talk to him and didn't thought she knew he was observing her. "What are you looking at like that?"

He chuckled lightly at been caught. "Nothing." He shrugged.  _Except that you look more beautiful than I remembered_ , he thought. He shook his head to clear it and attempt to start conversation again. "So, where are you staying? I hope I didn't take too far away from there."

"Um, well…" she hesitated for a second, not knowing if she should tell him. Even if she didn't, he'll still would insist in walking her there or share a taxi and would end up knowing anyways. "Actually you didn't. The apartment my parent got for me before I decided to take the sabbatical is just a few blocks from here. I'm staying there. I won't even have to call a cab."

Brody just nodded, processing the information. He would be able to walk her home after all, and before they could say their goodbyes, he would steal that kiss from her. Or maybe he would kiss her sooner, here, and then go home with her and then… he was running ahead from himself, he smirked shaking his head.

Changing the subject, they started talking about home, and fell into a comfortable conversation, even laughing a little. Still, they stayed away from the touchy subjects, like their past relationship and all the thing that they had shared. They could not avoid everything though, since they knew each other since kindergarten and occasional anecdote or antic the two of them had been part of came to the table and the laughed wistfully.

As the night went on, they kept drinking sodas and talking, but the Alexa noticed that the flow of performers was slowing down. Her eyes drifted a second towards the stage. It was currently empty, just the pianist was there, playing jazz softly.

Brody notice where Alexa's attention was drifting and stood up. She looked up at him a little surprised, with a questioning look on her face. He just stretched out his hand at her and motioned towards the stage with his head, smiling encouragingly.

She hesitantly took his hand. "Are you sure is okay?" she asked timidly.

"Yes, the pianist is a friend of mine." He winked. "Come on" his hand closed around hers and tugged gently. She smiled at him and stood, letting him led her to the stage.

He handed her a microphone and went to talk to the pianist. He leaned and whispered something in his ear. The man nodded and waited for Brody to join Alexa before star playing. When she recognized the song she had to smirk, but her breath caught in her throat when she felt Brody whispering to her: " _This song is what I'm feeling for you right now_."

She swallowed hard and lifted the mic to her mouth, starting to sing, looking away from Brody. She could feel her cheek blushing.

_The sun is filling up the room_   
_And I can hear you dreaming_   
_Do you feel the way I do right now?_   
_I wish we would just give up_   
_Cause the best part is falling_   
_Call it anything but love_

She turned to Brody. He was looking at her intently, talking to her with his eyes. The more she sang, the more she realized that she also felt what the song was saying. When she reached the chorus, Brody lifted his mic and sang along whit her, locking his gaze with hers as if meant every single word.

_And I will make sure to keep my distance_   
_Say "I love you" when you're not listening_   
_How long can we keep this up, up, up?_

_And please don't stand so close to me_   
_I'm having trouble breathing_   
_I'm afraid of what you'll see right now_   
_I give you everything I am_   
_All my broken heart beats_   
_Until I know you understand_

_And I will make sure to keep my distance_   
_Say "I love you" when you're not listening_   
_How long can we keep this up, up, up?_

_And I keep waiting_   
_For you to take me_   
_You keep waiting_   
_To save what we have_

Alexa didn't even noticed that they had been moving towards one another until Brody reached out his hand to caress her cheek.

_So I'll make sure to keep my distance_   
_Say "I love you" when you're not listening_   
_How long can we keep this up, up, up?_

She reached out too, but instead of touching his face, she clutched his shirt for emphasis. She wanted to make sure he understood that she really meant the lyrics. Something in his eyes let her know that he knew and that the sentiment was mutual.

_Make sure to keep my distance_   
_Say "I love you" when you're not listening_   
_How long til we call this love, love, love?_

They found themselves in the same situation they had been in the New Year party in Ohio. The only thing they needed to do for their lips to connect was move slightly forward, because their faces were just a few inches apart and this time there wasn't organizer to get in the way.

Alexa snapped out of it first and pulled away, handing the mic back to Brody and getting off the stage.  _Stupid butterflies_ , she thought, since she felt as if she had swallowed one hundred of them and they wouldn't stop moving around in her stomach. When Brody was beside her she spoke before he could say anything about their almost kiss.

"I think I'm going home now." She said hastily. "Is getting late." It was just an excuse, it was barely past ten.

He nodded. "Let me walk you there."

She shook her head nervously. "Is not far from here. You don't have to…"

"I know I don't  _have_  to." He interrupted her. "I want to do it." He pleaded her with his eyes and she knew she couldn't persuade him to do otherwise.

"Okay." She conceded, sighing. "Let's go then."

* * *

"I had fun tonight." Alexa said, looking down at her shoes. "Thank you for taking me there."

"Any time." Brody responded, mentally willing her to look at him.

They were outside Alexa's building and Brody was itching to touch her face, grab her hand, any kind of physical contact, but the occasion seemed to be eluding him.

"So, I guess I should go inside." She stated finally looking up at him.

He nodded wordlessly, but was desperate inside. He didn't want for the evening to end up like this. He wanted to prolong it just a little longer. When Alexa leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, he saw his chance and grabbed it. Hi tilted his face to the side, so instead of his cheek, her lips were on his.

She froze for a second not knowing what to do, and before she could snap out of it, Brody grabbed her arm, holding her there, and then closed his eyes. Her eyelids fell closed just as his mouth began to move against hers, deepening the kiss. Her brain was telling her to pull away, but her body seemed unable to comply, so she sighed and melted into his kiss. She had miss this so much. Only now, while her hands gripped to his shoulder and she started to kiss him back, she realized just how much she missed this, craved for this.

Finn's kisses weren't bad, but didn't ignite the fire inside her like Brody's. This kisses, rather than satiating her, always leave her wanting more. Finn and Rachel, and all the rest of the world disappeared. Nothing mattered anymore other than the two of them together in that moment. When she felt his tongue dancing whit hers, her knees almost caved, but his hand moved to her waist and he pulled her closer, keeping her steady.

His lips left hers all too soon for her taste, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he rested his forehead against hers, trying to catch his breath. She realized she was breathing heavily too. She opened her eyes and looked into his, that had darkened a little, and the words were out of her mouth before she could think better of it

"Stay with me tonight."

He nodded and she pressed her lips against his again while backing up to enter the bulding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it... for the next one, I'm definitely changing the Rating to M... I'll be also doing some chapter from Rachel and Finn's POVs so we can see how that dynamic works without Brody living with Rachel and Finn kissing Emma... but I still have to get there... because the next chapter still is placed in February 12th... we'll see how that comes to me.


	21. I still love you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember: this chapter is still February 12th

They were lucky that, for some reason, the lobby was empty. They wouldn't have care if it was crowded though, because they were too caught up in one another to notice anything else.

Almost stumbling, they made it to the elevator, their lips never parting, his body pressing her against one of the walls. Brody's lips moved to Alexa's neck just long enough for her to look over his shoulder and press the button with the number of her floor. As soon as the door closed, his mouth was on hers again, unleashing the fire, the passion that had been asleep inside her for so long.

It seemed that hours and seconds at the same time had passed when the elevator doors slipped open again in Alexa's floor. Again they stumbled out into the hallway and towards her door. Their lips parted again when Alexa turned in his arms and began to fumble around in her purse for her keys, but Brody didn't let go of her and kept kissing her hair and the side of her neck. It took her a good five minutes to open the door in the middle of the frenzy that Brody's kisses provoked on her.

When the door flung open, they stepped inside and Brody closed it with his foot. He couldn't stand another second without her lips against his, so he turned her around and devoured her mouth thoroughly. She kissed him back eagerly, clinging to his shoulders for support.

He pulled away after a couple of minutes when the need for air was too much. She was breathing heavy too and he rested his forehead against hers. They both closed their eyes.

She spoke without opening her eyes. "Is this really happening?" she asked, still gasping, trying to recover. "Or this is just a dream?"

His warm breath grazed her lips when he answered. "Is not a dream." His arms tightening around her to try and reassure her and him at the same time. Truth be told, he was also having a hard time believing this was actually real.

Alexa's eyes opened and she looked up at his face.  _I love you_ , she thought,  _even after everything you did to me, I still love you_. She didn't say it out loud though. Even if wanted to, she couldn't, because in the back of her mind, she knew this was a one night thing, just a brief relapse she would regret in the morning. He didn't loved her anymore and this was just a whim for him.

As if sensing her stare, Brody's lids fluttered open, and they gazes met. Neither of them looked away; they couldn't. Her hand raised to touch his cheek and he let out a sigh at feather-light caress. His hands moved slowly up and down her back. They stood like that for a while, looking at each other's eyes, relishing in the other's touch.

Her big brown eyes bored into him. He felt like she could see all the way to his soul. Something began to stir within Brody and realization dawned on him. All this time, since he saw her again and up until now, he had thought that he simply wanted her, like her kisses and her body. But now, holding her in his arms, her fingers caressing his face, he knew that it was much more than that.

"I love you, Alexa. I still love you." He said out loud before he could stop himself. Brody felt Alexa's body go still, her hand halted. She hadn't been prepared for that and she had no response to that statement

It wasn't true. It couldn't be. He was with Rachel now. Probably was saying it to get her to give in to him more easily. She knew what was about to happened between them tonight and she wanted to believe him. Maybe just for now. She would believe him just tonight. She knew it would earn her a heartbreak in the morning, but for now she would believe that he still loved her.

He was waiting an answer from her.  _I still love you too_ , she thought, but she didn't feel like she could say it out loud, so Alexa just brought his face to her and began to kissing him again. That was all the encouragement Brody needed and kissed her back.

Alexa pulled away, but before he could question her or protest, she took his hand and led him toward the bedroom. She guided him inside and let go of his hand when he stood at the edge of the bed and went to close the door, but he stopped her, pulling her towards him again. She thought that it wasn't necessary anyways, they were alone.

Brody gave Alexa a soft kiss in the lips and broke apart just enough to look at her in the eyes. One of his hands moved slowly to the back of her head and the other to her waist. Alexa shivered at the feeling. Her hands wrapped around his neck when started to lower her to the bed, never breaking the eye contact. He laid her on her back and hovered over her, and just stared at her for a few seconds before dipping his head to start trailing kisses along her jaw, neck and collarbone.

She sighed when his teeth scraped her skin and fisted his hair in her hands, pulling closer. He remembered. He still knew what she liked, what would make her moan, call his name, ask for more. Releasing his hair, her hands began to move at their own accord, searching for the hem of his shirt. She began to pull the material up, and his lips left her skin to help her remove the garment completely.

When his shirt hit the floor, he went for the hem of hers. She sat up while he pulled the fabric all the over her head. Her bra soon followed. He stared at her a moment before lifting a hand to caress her breast and squeeze it lightly. She sighed and threw her head back in pleasure, falling back to the mattress again. He kissed her again and started to descend for her neck until he found her other breast, where he kissed lightly before sucking it into his mouth. Alexa's back arched off the bed and her fingers found his hair again. This felt as good as she remembered.

His free hand began to roam down her body until he found the waistband of her pants. He softly caressed the skin there; it was his way to ask her permission without actually having to ask. She let go of his hair and her hips lifted off the bed slightly; her way to tell him it was okay.

Brody sat up and unbuttoned her pants and, along with her underwear, tugged them down and tossed them to the floor. His hands went back to her legs and caressed her thighs, but before he cloud do anything else, Alexa's hands where on his chest, pushing lightly to get him to lay on his back. She had a smirk on her face, so Brody grinned back and let her take control over him.

She straddled his hips and felt his obvious arousal through the fabric of his pants. Lowering her face to his, she changed the direction in the last second, just before their lips touched each other. She began kissing his sweet spot: the skin of his jaw, right below his ear. The guttural sound he let out only spurred her on. She was naked now, so she decided it was only fair strip him of his clothes too

Her mouth trailed kisses down his neck and toward his chest, continuing with the firm planes of his abdomen, all the while feeling his muscles twitch under the touch of her lips. Soon enough she reached the waist band of his jeans. With a wicked grin on her face she looked at him in the eyes and caressed him through his pants. Her smirk grew even more when he let out a moan that was somehow a combination of pleasure and frustration. He didn't want to be teased. He wanted for her to just remove the rest of his clothes already so he could take her.

She would've continued to teasing him if it wasn't because her need for him was as urgent as his for her. So she gave in and unfastened his pants to practically rip them off his legs along with his boxers and tossing them across the room.

Before she could look at him again, he was grabbing her by the waist and lying her on her back once more, hovering her. He reached down to touch between her legs and growled with excitement when he found her more than ready. He looked at her and was about to open his mouth and beg entrance when she parted her legs to invite him. No words were needed, they had learn a long time ago how to make love, and they knew what the other wanted or needed without having to speak. At least they still had that.

He rested his weight off of her on his arms as he positioned himself between her thighs and at her entrance before looking up at her one more time, hesitating.

"Are you sure? We don't have to you don't want to." He questioned out loud. He never asked that when they were together, but now he just needed to know for sure she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. He needed to hear the words out of her mouth.

She looked at him lovingly and reached out to caress his cheek. "Yes, Brody. I'm sure." She nodded and smiled. She watched him as he supported all his weight in one arm while his free hand went down the side of her body to stroke her thigh, but he still won't enter her. She shifted her hips slightly to brush his hard member. "Please." She breathed.

That was all it took. He was inside her the moment the word left her mouth and she gasped in surprise and pleasure at the feeling of been filled by him again.

His arm supporting his weight was trembling and failed on supporting him any longer. He collapsed on top her, breathing heavy, overwhelmed by the sensations. He felt like he would climax right there and he hadn't even started to move. It took them both a few seconds to adjust to the feeling of being together again in this way.

Brody buried his face on her shoulder and Alexa clutched his back when he began to rock his hips back and forth. They both were moaning and gasping. His hands griped her hips as they raised to meet his and kissed her neck and shoulder. Her nails dug into his back and while she called out his name over and over. He wanted to go slow, she could tell, but it seemed difficult for him and she wanted him to speed up.

"Faster". She managed to get out between moans and he don't needed to be told twice. He picked up the pace, pushing her closer to the edge with each thrust and getting closer himself.

"You feel so good." He gasped.

That did it for her. Alexa screamed his name at the top of her lungs as she found her release. Wave after wave of pleasure raking through her body while she tried to remember how to breathe.

It didn't took so long for him to reach his own climax. The feeling of her inner walls clenching and unclenching around him as she rode out her orgasm was his undoing. His release hit him full force and he grunted loudly, his grip on her hips tightening as he felt himself explode inside her, spilling everything he had.

They just laid there a few minutes, waiting for their breathings to return to normal, too exhausted to even try and kiss each other. When they heartbeats slowed down enough, he rolled off of her and together they got under the cover. He was lying on her back and she rested her head in his chest, her ear just about his heart. He wrapped her in his arms and kisses the top of her head, closing his eyes, feeling the pull of sleep too strong to fight it and the soft caresses of her fingers in his chest didn't help either.

He heard her murmur "I still love you too" just before drifting off completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter... I'm very nervous about it because is the first time I write somthing like this.
> 
> Leave me your coments and thoughts about the plot.


	22. Just think about 'Here & Now'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay... but here is the new chapter... as you surely noticed in the previous one Alexa's and Brody's POV are mixed all together... so sometimes you're reading what she thinks and onther what is it for him... Anyways, this chapter has more intimate scenes... enjoy

( _New York City, February 13th_ )

Her head was in the pillow when she woke up; Alexa didn't even need to open her eyes to know. For a brief moment she thought the events of the night before had been just a dream, a cruel joke of her subconscious. She remembered falling asleep with her head in Brody's chest, and the only logical explanation for her head now being on the pillow was that all had just been a dream.

It was when she sighed that she notice it: a grip around her waist tightening a little. The arms holding her were so familiar. She immediately understood that last night hadn't been a dream. She was just about open her eyes and turn around felt another thing that make her freeze: his lips were leaving light kisses across her shoulder, sending shivers down her spine. He was awake too. And from their history together, he surely knew she was awake now too; that was the reason for him kissing her.

"Good morning, beautiful." He whispered in her ear, confirming that he knew she was no longer asleep.

She turned around in his arms now and was greeted for a sight she used to love in the past, but now only broke her heart to know this wouldn't last; they weren't getting back together. Brody had a sleepy smile on his face and his eyes were looking adoringly at her, like he had been dreaming about her to find her in his arms. His hair was tousled and some strands were falling into his eyes. At least he was already asleep last night when she told him she still loved him too, so she wouldn't have to explain herself.

He lifted a hand to her face, brushing her cheek lightly before tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She looked beautiful, as he always thought she did after they were together. Her disheveled curls fanned in the pillow, some of them falling over her face. Her sleepy face looking like he imaged the angels did. Her eyes were always bright and her sleepy smile was wide after a night of love making.

But something was off on her this morning, and he didn't understand why. Her smile was weak at best and she wouldn't quite meet his gaze. Her eyes were uncertain and she seemed to be in the verge of tears. Why was she like that? She never had been like this before. He heard her telling him that she still loved him. Had that been just a dream? Brody had been in a bubble of happiness when he woke up. Why was she popping it? Why wasn't she as happy as him?

Reality started to infiltrate. Finn and Rachel. She was thinking about them. He remembered she still thought he and Rachel were together and probably didn't want to hurt Finn's feelings. This wasn't the way he wanted to remember their time together: stained by guilt.

He could feel her guilt in the way she won't raise her eyes to meet his or in the fact that hadn't said anything yet. He needed to do something to cheer her up, but knowing her, it wasn't much he could do. He realized now what a fool he had been in breaking up with her when he was feeling so much love for her right now. He felt like he couldn't lose her again, because if he did, his heart wouldn't be able to take it.

She spoke before he could think of anything to say himself. "This shouldn't have happened." She said meeting his gaze for the first time since they both woke up, her voice barely above a whisper. "No when there are other people's feelings involved."

"I know." He retorted, sighing, closing his eyes, and resting his forehead in hers. "But what I told you last night was true: I still love you."

When the words left his mouth, she couldn't help but sob and hide her face against his chest. He already got what he wanted last night: have her. Why did he kept repeating that? Alexa didn't understood. It hurt her to hear those words and think he probably didn't mean them.

His forehead left hers and he used a hand to lift her chin, so she was looking at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, the concern evident in his voice and eyes.

"Please, don't say it again." She managed through her tears. "Is not making me feel better and I know that's what you want. I know you don't really mean it."

"What are you talking about?" he gave her a confused look. "Of course I mean it!"

She began to shake her head furiously. "No! You don't!" she yelled between sobs. "You don't mean it. You wouldn't be with her if you did."

She didn't need to say her name; Brody knew she was referring to Rachel. Alexa was openly crying now and trying to fight him, to get away from his embrace, but he wouldn't let her. He was stronger than she and pulled her to him, tucking her head under his chin. She kept trying, very weakly, to push him away, but give up after a few minutes when the sobs shook her body with such a force that she hadn't the strength to do anything other than cry into his chest. All the while, Brody stroked her hair and back, trying to sooth her, unsure of what else to do.

As the minutes went by, her tear lessened and his cries died down. When she calmed down enough, brody allowed her to pull back just enough to look at her in the eyes.

"Rachel and I aren't together." He said looking her straight in the eyes. "I'd be lying if I said we haven't kissed, because we have. But that was before seeing you again." She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Okay, and that time at Sugar's party. But that was to make you and Finn jealous."

"You kissed her for new year's eve too." She said defiantly.

"That's not true." He answered firmly. "I was only hugging her to block her view of your kiss with Finn."

Her eyes filled with guilt again. Finn. She didn't want to hurt him. He had been nothing but kind to her. She had told him he could trust her and her she was: in the arms of her ex-boyfriend, still naked from making love the night before. Finn hadn't ask her to be his girlfriend officially yet (Alexa suspected he had had the intention of ask on Valentine's Day), but still felt like a treason to him.

"I don't want to hurt Finn." She stated. "He is been so good to me. He helped pulling me together and made me want to sing again. Is not fair of me do this to him."

"I know you don't want to hurt him." Brody said truthfully. "But even if last night hadn't happened you would end up hurting him anyway, because you still love me." She looked at him with wide eyes. "I heard you whispering it to me last night." He admitted.

She let out a resigned sigh. "I thought you were asleep and wouldn't listen it."

He nodded. "I figured that much."

"So, what do we do now?" she said.

"I guess we just have to think about the here and the now." He answered. "And right here and now I just want to be with you without think of anything or anyone else."

"What are you suggesting?" she asked, snuggling into his chest once more. He took this as a good sign and tightened her hold around her.

"Let's spend together this time you're going to be here. Let's enjoy each other's company and be happy without worry about the world outside us. We'll deal with everything else later." He said while softly caressing her hair.

"Okay." She agreed, nodding her head. "I like the sound of that." She paused before adding. "I'll have to think of a way to tell Finn that we can see each other like anything but friends anymore."

His hand in his hair halted for a moment and she could tell Brody didn't like the idea of her keeping Finn around, not even as a friend. She need to make him understand.

"I can't push him away, Brody. He has helped me so much. I owe him at least be his friend."

It was his turn to sigh. "I know."

She lifted her head to look at him. "But like you said. Let's not think about that now. Let's focus on us."

He smiled. "What do you want to do now? We can do anything you want. I can take you wherever you want to go."

She grinned wickedly. "What I want to do right now does not require us leaving this bed." She said before kissing him passionately. She decided embrace this time with him and locked herself in a bubble with him. The rest of the world could wait. Right now, she just wanted to love him. To make up for all those years away from each other.

He eagerly responded to her kiss, feeling himself grow hard really fast. Alexa pushed him on his back and straddled him. They had matching smirks in their faces. Brody knew what she was thinking on do and he was going to allow it, because he knew how much it turned her on and made her wet to pleasure him that way. It made her feel powerful and he liked what resulted of her feeling that way.

Like the night before, she started to trail kisses down his body, but now there weren't pants or boxers to take off. So when she reached his hard on, she looked him in the eyes and took him in her mouth. He gasped. His eyes fluttered closed and he threw his head back in pleasure.

She began to move up and down his length, alterning between licking and sucking, and occasionally scraping lightly with her teeth. He grew even bigger in her mouth, and it make her moan. The vibrations caused him to shudder and she kept humming repeatedly, making him call out her name. She could feel her own arousal dampening heavily the area between her legs.

She released him and licked the tip, tasting his saltiness. And then she sucked only his head into her mouth, eliciting a groan out of him. She knew what this meant before him having to say it. So she let him go and crawled back up to him.

She hovered over him and aligned her entrance with his erect manhood. Their gazes met and he grabbed her hips while she lowered herself onto him, never breaking eye contact. He felt so good inside her in this position that she started to move immediately in a fast rhythm, steading her hands in his chest. His own hands remained on her hips to assist her movements as his hips raised to meet hers.

"I'm not going to last very long." He warned.

"Don't worry." She said. "I'm not going to last very long either."

They never took they eyes from the other. As the pleasure grew in intensity, also did their pace. They were moaning and groaning and Brody spoke just as Alexa felt herself reaching the edge.

"I'm about to…" he said in a strangled voice, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"I'm almost there too." She gasped.

"Let go, then." He said. "Come for me. Come  _with_  me."

And they both fell over the edge together. Their hips collided with force and they called each other's names as the pleasure coursed through their sweaty bodies. She collapsed onto his chest and his hands moved to hold her tight as they both tried to catch their breath.

"I love you." She whispered after a couple of minutes, placing a kiss to his still trembling chest.

"I love you too." he said, kissing the top of her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me you comments and let me know what you think


	23. Sing with me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay... here it is a little Finchel to make it up to you

( _Lima, Ohio. February 13th_ )

Finn sat nervously at the Lima Bean, nursing on a latte and waiting for her. Would she come? How this encounter would be? He hadn't seen her since New Year's Eve, and just talked to her a few days ago to settle this meeting so he was really nervous. Surely this would be very awkward for both of them. This was the first time they would be in the dame room without Brody or Alexa beside them, so he didn't really know what to expect. But he had a really important favor he needed to ask her.

Soon enough, Rachel walked through the door and his heart leapt to his throat. Why did she still had an effect on him? And the worst part it was that Alexa wasn't around to lessen the impact of Rachel's presence and keep him grounded. Seeing her here, now, walking towards him and smiling sweetly, made the rest of the world disappear, as well as the people in it.

Suddenly it didn't matter anymore that Alexa was in the same city as Brody and that they may have been together in that moment. All that mattered now was the beautiful smile on Rachel's face as she approached him.

Rachel was nervous too. They had talked a little a couple of days before today and now here he was, handsome, a cute mix of confidence and shy, with that lopsided grin she always had loved. His eyes soft and bright seemed to twinkle as she walked towards him. Her heartbeats started to gain more speed the closer she got to him.

"Hi." He said to her when she as close enough.

"Hi." She greeted back while lowering herself to the seat across from him. "Is good to see you Finn."

"You too." He nodded. "How is everything going?"

"Great. Trying to get an audition for  _Funny Girl_ , actually."

"That's really awesome!" he praised sincerely. "You're totally gonna get it."

"Thanks." She lowered her eyes sheepishly to the table.

There was a long, awkward pause after that. The waiter came and took Rachel's order (a cappuccino) and came back with it before either of them spoke again.

"So." Rachel cleared her throat and lifted her eyes to meet Finn's again. "You said on the phone you had something you needed to ask me."

"Oh, yeah." He laughed nervously. For a moment Finn had forgotten why they were meeting. "Obviously you know Mr. Schuester and Miss Pillsbury are getting married tomorrow." He saw Rachel nodding. "As Mr. Schue best man, he wants me to sing a song instead of the typical toast. Since I'm a little nervous about it I was wondering if you wanted to sing a duet with me."

A smile slowly formed in Rachel's face, the idea of singing with him again seemed too good to be true. She was super excited by this, but when she went to answer she didn't want to seem so eager, so she decided to tease him some.

"I would love to." She said. "I can take the lead and you can sway in the background. Sounds good?"

He chuckled lightly, catching on the teasing. "You just say that because you can't handle really do a duet with me." He teased back.

"And why would that be the case?" she answered grinning mischievously.

"Because we have some pretty dangerous chemistry when we sing together."

Rachel was stunned silent for a moment before finding her voice again. "I'm not afraid about that." She could feel the blush creeping into her cheeks after saying it.

Finn's expression grew somber, his mood souring a little. "But that Brody guy may be." He said.

She swallowed hard. He believed she and Brody were together. He couldn't be more wrong. Surely he was with Alexa now. After all it had been Rachel herself who told him where to find her. If their plan worked, Brody may be able to get Alexa back and away from Finn once and for all, leaving Rachel free way to get Finn for herself.

She bit her lip before speaking. "He doesn´t have a reason to." She said. When Finn raised a questioning eyebrow, she continued. "Brody and I are not together."

Finn's eyes went wide and his jaw fell open. They weren't together? He had thought them together for a long time. Did this mean that she still loved him?

"Alexa in the other hand," Rachel's voice brought him out of his thoughts, "she may get a little worry about our musical chemistry."

He had completely forgot about Alexa until Rachel brought her up. What was she doing right now? Was she okay? Was she with Brody? He hadn't asked her to be her official girlfriend yet. Every time he thought about ask her something kept him from doing it. But all the same, they had something going on and doing something with Rachel felt like going behind Alexa's back.

"You're right." He said. "So is a good thing that a think I can control myself."

"Yeah." She answered. "It is a good thing."

A moment of silent passed, both of them assimilating the exchange that had just transpired. Finn realized that he still felt something for Rachel and that was what kept him of get real with Alexa. What was Rachel feeling though? There was any chance she could still love him? A chance that he could get her back at some point? Of course, he needed figured out the situation with Alexa before give things with Rachel a real thought, but the fact that he was thinking of her like a 'situation' in that moment gave him a hint of the direction thing would go.

"So," Rachel tried to get the good mood back, "what song do you have in mind?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was short chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it... the next one will be Finchel too and we will have the wedding... I hope you're liking what you're reading so far.
> 
> I'll try and update soon... but I don't want to make any promises... you know real life sometimes gets in the way
> 
> In the meantime, leave me your comments


	24. We've Got Tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm soooooooooo sorry about the delay... but I couldn't figure out how to pull this chapter together... but finally: I'm back... and as a 'I am sorry' present I have the moment all of you were waiting for... enjoy

( _Lima, Ohio. February 14th_ )

What happened was completely unexpected for everyone: Ms. Pillsbury had ran off the altar. The weird thing was that a Sue Sylvester dressed in a wedding dress had been the one to deliver the news to Mr. Schuester at the altar. Everybody was utterly astonished. Just Mr. and Mrs. Pillsbury seemed to be a little happy about this.

So there was Finn, sitting in the at the altar steps with a very sad and disconcerted groom and trying to comfort and cheer him up a little when Santana arrived. Apparently, the other had nominated her to ask Mr. Schue about what to do with the reception.

"We have to cancel that now." Said Finn. "There´s no point for the reception now that -"

"No, do it." Mr. Schuester interrupted Finn.

"But Mr. Schue, we can't -"

"Yes, you can. You all came from far places and should enjoy this time together." Mr. Schuester said while standing up. "Don't let my failure in Valentine's day ruin yours. Go ahead. I'll see if I can find Emma." And with that he walked away.

* * *

The reception was great. If you ignored the fact that the bride had ran off, it was even fun.

Kurt and Blaine were now in the stage giving their rendition of  _Just Can't Get Enough_  and everyone was dancing. Finn, however, was sitting alone at a table, deeply worried about Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury when Rachel came and sat by him.

"You should at least try to have a little fun." She said trying to start a conversation.

He gave her a sad smile. "I know. I'm just worried about Will and Emma. What possibly could have happened?"

She nodded in understanding. "I guess will never exactly know. But…" she wanted to coax a laugh out of him with was she was going to say, "don't tell Mr. Schue this, but I always thought it would be interesting to go a wedding where the bride ran off. Not that I was expecting it to happen in  _this_  wedding but…" she trailed of, but her comment had worked. Finn was chuckling a little.

"Well," he said, "That was most definitely interesting."

"And," Rachel continued more seriously now "from all the wedding movies I've ever seen I know that when the bride runs, is because she knew deep down inside that the moment wasn't right." She finished. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Finn nodding thoughtfully in agreement.

"I guess you're right."

When a whole minute passed and Finn said nothing more, Rachel tried something else. "Well," she began in her more cheerful tone, "since is not an everyday occurrence that we're both in the same place, why don't you come and dance with me for a while."

She stood and offered him a hand. He smiled up at her, taking her hand for standing and then led her to the dance floor. Kurt and Blaine still had a little bit of song left for them to dance.

Once Blaine and Kurt got off the stage, Sue went up holding the bouquet Emma had left behind. After giving a dramatic speech about San Valentine and how stupid the tradition of tossing the bouquet was she asked the single girls to gather in front of the stage to catch the 'soon to be dead' flowers. She turned around and counted to three, and then let the flowers fly. The bouquet landed in Rachel's hands.

She blushed while everyone applauded and she excused to go to the restroom. The truth was that catching the bouquet had made think about Finn and how they had almost got married, so she needed a little space at the moment.

When the restroom door closed behind her she let the flowers aside and grabbed the sink with both hands. She had been the one to break up with Finn, yes. But she still loved him. Had he thought about their almost wedding at some point during the evening? She hoped he would have, but it was also true that he had something with another girl right now, and probably Alexa would be here with Finn if she hadn't had her auditions in NYC.

But Alexa wasn't here, and like the song they had chosen to sing in a little while, Rachel and Finn had tonight. She was determined to do something.

Splashing cold water over her face she ordered herself to calm down and, after retouching her make up a little, she exited the girl's room.

"So, now you can ask that Brody guy to marry you."

Rachel jumped, startled by Finn's voice coming from her right. She turned around and saw him reclined against the wall, a glass of champagne in his hand. He was smirking and his word sounded somewhat slurred, so surely that wasn't his first drink, nor his second for that matter. When what he had said fully registered in her brain, she frowned at him, clearly annoyed.

"I don't know what are you talking about. I already told you there's nothing between brody and me. In fact, I bet he is trying to find Alexa in New York. If they're not together already."

Finn raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think that Brody even knows she is there?" his smirk getting deeper.

"I… um, I…" she stammered. She had been caught.

"You told him." He moved away from the wall and towards her. "I bet to call him the minute I told you where she was to let him know."

"Is not what -"

"-  _you think?_ " he said, finishing the phrase for her. Still smirking, he came to a stop right in front of her. "What I think is that you told him where she was, so he can come between us. You want Alexa to cheat on me with Brody so I have to break up with her. Am I right?"

She definitely had been caught. That was exactly her plan. "Well, if knew what I was going to do you shouldn't had told me she was in New York." She took a step towards him, leaving only a few centimeters and the flowers between them. "Maybe deep down inside, a part of you wanted for me to do what I did."

He laughed a little. "Rachel, you can never get me to break up with Alexa. Nor brody. Nobody can makes break up."

She flinched a little but tried not to let her hurt show. "So you're are bound to her so strongly that no force in the universe could tear you both apart?"

"No." he said, his eyes suddenly intense. "No one can make us break up because we are not dating."

Rachel felt her jaw go slack. "W-wha… what?" she stammered.

"I haven't ask her to be my girlfriend."

"Why?"

"Because I already had one." He said, his gaze locked with her. The smirk was gone; he was completely serious now. "You may have broken up with me, but you and I know how it works for the both of us. No matter what you or I do, who we kiss or spend time with; in the end you and I are destined to end up together. You're mine. We belong to each other."

She was speechless. This was what she had wanted to hear all night. It felt like his heart going to jump out of her chest for the force of its beating. It gained even more speed when Finn leaned down to kiss her. She took a deep breath in anticipation. Her whole body was buzzing with excitement to kiss Finn after so long.

But then he stopped just an inch from her lips; the smirk was back. "Are we going to sing our duet or what?" he whispered and then pulled away to head towards the stage. She let out a sigh that was half-exasperated half-disappointed before following.

* * *

The music started playing and Finn and Rachel started to sing. The dance floor was crowded with couples slow-dancing, but it was as if they were both alone. Nor Finn nor Rachel seemed able to take their eyes off of each other while going through the lyrics of  _We've Got Tonite_.

The song seemed to last an eternity and the only thing Rachel wanted to do all the while was grab the collar of Finn's suit and take the kiss he had withheld earlier. By the look in his eyes it was apparent that wasn't going to put any resistance.

Somewhere while singing, their hands had reached out towards one another and now they were holding hands, their fingers intertwined. So when the song did end, it was Finn the one who dragged Rachel out of the stage and to a corner. He hadn't even backed her out completely against the wall when their lips met passionately and they were making out.

They only pulled apart when the need for air was impossible to ignore any longer. They stared at each other while catching their breath.

"I booked a room in this hotel." Finn gasped. "Wanna come up with me?" Rachel could only nod.

They all but ran toward the elevator, as fast as Rachel's high heels allowed and started making out as soon as the door closed. When they hit the floor of the room Finn had booked, they ran again towards the door. They almost tripped over themselves in their haste to get inside. The only reason they weren't all over each other once in the room was that Finn wanted to put the  _do not disrupt_ sign in the doorknob.

They clawed at each other's clothes, practically ripping it from the other's body and find themselves completely are for the first time in what seemed ages. Without stop kissing, Finn laid Rachel on her back and crawled to the bed to hover her. He didn't even checked if she was ready, he just knew from the look in her eyes, and his own readiness was straining painfully between them.

He positioned himself at her entrance and slowly slid in, eliciting a moan out of her and letting out a grunt of pleasure. He couldn't stand it; he started thrusting immediately, the sensations were too powerful to do anything else. Rachel didn't seem to mind.

He kissed her breasts in time with the movement of their lower bodies, and sucked her nipples into his mouth, making her arch towards him and beg breathlessly for more. He happily obliged.

It didn't take long for both of them to climax. Rachel fell over the edge first shouting his name, and after a few more thrusts he was there with her. They held onto each other tightly, like they may die if they let go, until their muscles relaxed and they collapsed onto the bed in a panting broken mess, Finn still on top and inside Rachel.

They looked at one another and laughed. They were blissful. They had only tonight, but they felt like they finally were at home, were they belonged, in the arms of the other.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked it...we're coming close to the end... even I don't know how many chapter I had left, everything is falling into place here... netx chapter will be Brody and Alexa's Valentine's day romp... and then, both couples will have very similar conversations about the future of their realtionships... a little spoiler: Rachel doesn't leave Finn alone in the hotel room in this fic.
> 
> I will be starting a new fic... but it will not be about Glee... it will be about the Hunger Games (If you want to read it)... and it will be based in the book 'Sweet Revenge' by Nora Roberts... don't worry, you'll still be able to read even if you haven't read Nora's book.
> 
> Well... Thank you all for reading ;)... I hope you enjoyed this chapter
> 
> PLEASE, COMMENT AND LEAVE KUDOS


	25. V-day in New York

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody... sorry for the wait for here I am again... sorry, really... real life can get really crazy when you're in a nursing program... but here it is... enjoy:

( _New York City. February 14th_ )

Brody had been staying at her apartment this last two days and they had gone at it most of the time, making up for all those years apart from each other. Sometimes they were on a frenzy, almost ripping each other's clothes to take them off, ravishing the other like the world was about to end and they wouldn't get another chance to do it. Other times though, they made love tenderly, slowly, never breaking eye contact and always whispering words of love in each other's ears. Both of them stayed true to their promise of just thinking of the moment, living in the moment.

Tonight they were at 'Call Backs' again. Honestly, Alexa would had preferred stay at her place eating pizza, watching a corny movie and cuddling, but Brody insisted that they ought to go out because it was a special day, so she agreed. It was Valentine's Day after all.

So here they were. Brody had bought her flowers and chocolates, and she teased him some for being so tawdry. He blushed, and then she laughed, told him she loved his corniness and leaned in to kiss him.

They were just sitting at a booth listen to the performers or to the piano music when there was no one singing and talking quietly.

"Are we singing something tonight?" Alexa asked when she saw a couple going up to the stage to perform a duet.

"You want us to sing something?" he answered with another question.

She made a face. "I don't really feel like singing tonight."

He smiled softly at her. "That's okay." He said reaching out to brush her cheek. "We don't have to if you don't want to."

"Thanks." She said returning his smile.

They listened to the couple singing their version of  _Endless love_. They were good, she thought. Perhaps NYADA students, like most of the people that came to Call Backs.

When they finished, Brody leaned in and whispered to her ear. "I have a surprise for you." And then he stood up.

She looked up at him, a confused expression on her face. "I thought we weren't singing tonight." She said

He smiled. "And  _we_  aren't." Alexa saw his eyes glinting with mischief. "You just stay there. I'll be back soon." He kissed her forehead before walking towards the stage.

"Okay." She whispered, mostly to herself because Brody was out of hearing range.

The pianist started playing a soft background music while Brody went up the stage and dragged a stool towards the center. Then placed a microphone in front of it and took a seat, adjusting it to be right in front of his mouth and testing it to make sure it was working. Then he stood and went to the pianist, retrieving something from behind, something that was hidden from Alexa's view from where she was sitting. It was a guitar. Brody grabbed it by the neck and went back to sit on the stool, propping one foot on the lower spindle.

He looked back at the pianist, who nodded and stopped playing. When he turned to the public again, he smiled at Alexa before clearing his throat to speak.

"Hi, everyone." He said, eyes scanning the crowd. "Happy Valentine's Day. The song I'm going to sing is for all the lovers out there, but specially for the lady accompanying tonight." He locked eyes with Alexa now. "This song is for you baby. I hope you remember it. Happy Valentine's Day for you."

She was blushing furiously, but couldn't keep the grin off her face. Her smile grew bigger when he played the first chords of the song. Of course she remembered the song. It was  _Kiss me_ by Ed Sheeran and it was the song he sang to her the day he first asked her to be his girlfriend.

_Settle down with me_  
 _Cover me up_  
 _Cuddle me in_

_Lie down with me_  
 _And hold me in your arms_

Suddenly she wasn't at Call Backs anymore. She was at her house, in her room, standing in her balcony, looking down at a singing Brody. He was alone, with just his old acoustic guitar for company. He was serenading her with this very same song.

_And your heart's against my chest, your lips pressed to my neck_  
 _I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet_  
 _And with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now_

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved_  
 _You wanna be loved_  
 _You wanna be loved_  
 _This feels like falling in love_  
 _Falling in love_  
 _We're falling in love_

He was looking at her and only at her. She saw in his eyes he was remembering the first time he sang this song for her, just like she was.

_Settle down with me_  
 _And I'll be your safety_  
 _You'll be my lady_

_I was made to keep your body warm_  
 _But I'm cold as the wind blows so hold me in your arms_

_Oh no_  
 _My heart's against your chest, your lips pressed to my neck_  
 _I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet_  
 _And with this feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now_

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved_  
 _You wanna be loved_  
 _You wanna be loved_  
 _This feels like falling in love_  
 _Falling in love_  
 _We're falling in love_

_Yeah I've been feeling everything_  
 _From hate to love_  
 _From love to lust_  
 _From lust to truth_  
 _I guess that's how I know you_  
 _So I hold you close to help you give it up_

_So kiss me like you wanna be loved_  
 _You wanna be loved_  
 _You wanna be loved_  
 _This feels like falling in love_  
 _Falling in love_  
 _We're falling in love_

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved_  
 _You wanna be loved_  
 _You wanna be loved_  
 _This feels like falling in love_  
 _Falling in love_  
 _We're falling in love_

Everyone was on their feet, applauding for Brody, but he only could see Alexa, smiling widely at him. He stood, propped he guitar on the stool and went to her. When he reached her, he took her by the shoulders to make her stand with him and kissed her passionately, making everyone to applaud and cheer louder.

"What was that for?" she asked when he pulled away, still in a daze from the song, the flashback and the kiss.

The other people were already turning their attention away from them and back to the stage when the new performers were taking place

"Which part?" he asked playfully while they took their seats again. "The kiss?"

"I meant the song. And you now that." She raised an eyebrow.

"It was because I wanted to do something special for you." He said, giving in. "And because I wanted to ask you something."

She nodded quietly, waiting for him to continue. He took a deep breath. He was nervous.

"I know I've hurt you a lot." He began. "Is a mystery to me how you can possibly still love me. There's nothing I regret more than breaking up with you the way I did."

"Is in the past." She said, placing her hand on top of his on the table. "We agreed to live in the moment, remember?"

He turned his hand and trapped hers within his fingers. "I know." He leaned and pecked her lips gently.

"So…" she said smiling at him. "What was that that you wanted to ask me?"

He took her hands in both of his and looked her straight in the eyes. "Alexa, I still love you. I think I love you even more than before and I don't want to be without you again. I know you're leaving in a couple of days, but I still want to try this."

Alexa could feel the tears welling up in her eyes when she saw where this was going, what he was about to ask her. She didn't have any words, so she just stared into his eyes, silently willing him to continue.

"Alexa," he said lifting one hand to cup her cheek, "will you be my girlfriend again?" Tears were shining in his eyes as well, while he whipped with his thumb a stray one that had fallen out of Alexa's eye.

She still had no words, too overwhelmed by her feeling. She could only nod fervently and then, lean in to kiss his lips.

The kiss was soft and tender, and sealed the promise of being together between them. They pulled away and rested their foreheads together, smiling like idiots, but they couldn't bring themselves to care.

In that moment Alexa made a decision, perhaps one of the most important decisions in her whole life, and a really crazy one too, but what the hell.

"I won't be gone for long." She said, surprising Brody. "I'll go to Ohio just to bring all my stuff here."

"What?" Brody asked in a mixture of hope and disbelief, unsure if he had heard correctly.

"I'm moving here. I'm moving to New York." She said and his heart fluttered with joy. "I don't care if I fail the auditions, I'm moving here as soon as I can. I just want to be with you…"

She was interrupted by his lips on hers. He was kissing her fervently, like this could be the last chance he would get to kiss her. He was so happy of hearing this.

"Of course your auditions are going to go well." He said when he pulled away for air. "But the sooner you move here the better." He kissed her again, more softly this time.

They didn't stay much longer in Call Backs. They went back to Alexa's place and had barely closed the door when they went all over each other, kissing furiously, blindly making their way to the bedroom, where they made love all night in celebration of being officially back together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so... I hope you liked this chapter... next one will be the morning after Finchel V-day romp... remember we're nearing the end... I'm thinking 3 or 4 chapters more plus a short epilogue and that would be it
> 
> thank you so much for reading... leave me your thoughts... and if you feel like it or want to contact me, I'm on tumblr as karycautivo-dot-tumblr-dot-com... you can follow me there for updates or consult me about the progress in my ask section and I'll respond as soon as I can... come and play with me on tumblr
> 
> see you soon (I hope)
> 
> PLEASE COMMENT!


	26. The Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't began to tell you how sorry I am for the long wait on this chapter... but I'll try to explain my self: but I was busy with my studies (life gets crazy when you're in a nursing program)… then the whole thing with Cory happened and I promised to myself to honor him in my fic, but the grief over losing him led me to a writer's block... and we all know writers block can be such a b*tch.
> 
> I even thought for a moment about marked the story as complete or even delete it, but I decided that any of those would be an insult to Cory's memory... So here is the new chapter... is pure Finchel and I hope you like it

_(Lime, Ohio. February 15th)_

The light streamed through the curtains and into the room when Finn woke up. It took him a moment to remember where he was; the room wasn't one he recognized and the pounding in his head wasn't helping.  _How much did I drink last night?_ He wondered.

He tried to sit up but there was a weight on his chest. Looking down he saw a mane of dark, disheveled hair.  _Rachel_. Last night came crashing to his mind; he remembered everything: the wedding, the reception, the conversation with Rachel, their duet, barely making it to the hotel room with their clothes on.

Making love to Rachel again after so long. The feeling of her skin against his. The breathy moans she panted in his ear. The way he seemed to fit perfectly inside of her. The way she shouted his name when she came. The way her walls clenched around him, encouraging his own orgasm. The way they went at it as many times as they could before falling asleep out of exhaustion.

God, he was so in love with her. He never wanted to let go of her ever again. He tightened his arms around her still naked body, breathing in her scent. Rachel released an unconscious sigh and snuggled further into his chest. Finn has half-expected wake up to find her gone; he was infinitely relived that she was still here in his arms.

_But what will happen when she wakes?_  His brain chimed in. Would she scramble out of his arms? Would she throw here clothes on and run from the room, taking his heart with her again? Finn thought he couldn't bear lose her a second time. He had to find a way for her to be in his life again, maybe try a long distance relationship. Or maybe…

Rachel's eyelashes tickled his skin when her eyes fluttered open. He would have his answers soon.

Her sleepy gaze wandered around the room for a moment before locking eyes with him. Her sleepy, satisfied smile melted his heart and gave him hope about the outcome of the conversation they were sure to have.

Finn smiled down at her. "Good morning, beautiful."

Her own smile widened. "G'morning," Rachel said before pressing a light kiss on his chest. "Did you sleep well?" she asked, her smile changing from content to a sheepish one.

"Wonderfully," Finn responded, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. He seemed unable to wipe the smile out of his face. "I slept with a gorgeous girl in my arms. I think I'm in love with her." He said and Rachel looked away as her cheeks flushed pink. Finn chuckled lightly. "How did you sleep?"

"Well," she started, looking back at him, "this really hot guy took me to a hotel room and made love to me so many times, until we couldn't keep our eyes open and fell asleep with him. It was the best night I've ever have. I think I fell in love with him last night"

"What a lucky guy." Finn smiled and kissed her.

When Finn pulled back he noticed something like sadness flicker in Rachel's eyes, but wasn't what was it, because she looked away quickly. This worried him. Was she regretting now? Was she going to push him away, saying it was all a mistake and run out of his life? Preparing himself for the worst, he took hold of her chin and lifted her face, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Her eyes were shiny and she looked back at him with longing. She was holding tears back, but why? Her bottom lip was quivering and she let out a shaky breath before speaking.

"Do you regret last night?" she asked, her voice just as shaky as the breath she had let out. He was about to answer, but she cut him off. "Because I think I'll die if you do. I thought I could handle it, that I could be away from you. But the truth is that I can't do this anymore. I've missed you every day since the break up and I can't keep lying to myself. Want to be with you again." She said, burying her face on his chest.

The tears had started to fall by the time she finished, but she wasn't the only one crying. Finn was tearing up to. He hugged her tight and rubbed her back until she stopped sobbing. When she calmed down again, he pried her face from his chest once more to look at her in the eyes again.

"I could never regret anything with you, except the times I hurt you." He said wholeheartedly. "I told you last night, no matter what we do, in the end, we belong to each other. And because I belong to you, nothing I ever do with you will be wrong; I'll regret nothing. I don't regret last night, because I had you again."

When Finn's speech was over, Rachel leaned up and kissed him. It wasn't heated like the kisses from the night before, even though they both were still naked. This kiss was sweet, the sealing of a promise, an ' _I love you'_  without the actual words.

When Rachel pulled back, she asked, "So, I take it we're back together?"

Finn smiled. "Do you even have to ask? Of course we're back together."

They just lay there for a while, snuggling, enjoying to be in each other's arms. But at the same time the gears were turning in both of their heads, running along the same lines without having to say to the other what they were thinking.

"So," Rachel spoke first, "how do we do this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are we doing long distance? You think it'd work? I mean, look what it got us last time"

Finn sighed, rubbing Rachel's back while speaking. "I know. I was thinking about that."

"And?"

"Well, Mr. Schuester is back, so they don't really need me in the Glee Club anymore. But loved being with them, so I was thinking about going to college and study to become a teacher."

This got Rachel's attention and she looked up at him. "Really?" she asked and he nodded. "And where would you be attending?" she asked hesitatingly and hopefully at the same time.

He smiled softly at her. "Before last night, I was going to attend to Ohio Community College." Rachel's face fell a little at this. " _But_ , now that we're going to be together again, I'm thinking I could apply to some college at New York City. What do you think?"

Rachel's face lit up brighter than the sun, her smile so wide it hurt her cheeks but she couldn't care less. "I think I better start making room for your things at the apartment." She said, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"Ra-chel… you-'re ch-chocking me." Finn joked.

She pulled back and they both laughed.

"I'll try to be there as soon as I can." Finn said, tucking a lock of hair behind Rachel's ear. "But I have to take care of some things before I go."

"What things?"

"Well, I have to say goodbye to the guys, talk to my mom about it and…" he trailed off. Rachel caught on immediately.

"Alexa." She said, lowering her eyes

"Hey," he brushed her cheek softly with his thumb, "I don't love her and you know that. I love you. But while we were broken up, there was something going on between her and myself. I have to at least be honest with her and tell her that you and I are together again and that I'm going to go to live with you in New York. She doesn't deserve to be hurt."

Rachel gave a small nod. "I know. I understand, but I'm still a little jealous."

"Don't be. You're my girl. No one else will ever take that place. It belongs to only you."

"I love you, Finn." She said

"I love you, too." He smiled. "I always have and I always will." They sealed their words with another kiss.

"We better get up now." Finn said after pulling back. "It's almost check out time and I want to spend the day with you. Lunch and movie?"

"Sounds perfect" Rachel beamed, and then they both got up, got dressed and left the hotel hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how did you like it?... I know is a little short but adding anything else to it would have felt like unnecessary filling... There will be one more chapter after this one and an two epilogues (one for Brolexa and one for Finchel)
> 
> Thank you for reading after so long... I hope you can find forgiveness for me in your hearts
> 
> tell me what you thought about thought about this chapter... I'll try to get the next one up soon, but I make no promises.
> 
> If you want you can come to hang out with me on tumblr: karycautivo.tumblr.com
> 
> Your reviews mean the world to me and they motivate me to keep going so: PLEASE, REVIEW!


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